The Ministry of Industry and Trade required retail chains to report every fact of a sharp increase in the cost of products from manufacturers and suppliers. On August 8, the department discussed with retail representatives the prospects for changes in prices for socially important goods in September. This was told to Izvestia by sources familiar with the meeting. The situation is developing against the backdrop of the weakening of the ruble, which caused an increase in production costs. According to the deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Viktor Yevtukhov, retail chains will voluntarily limit the margin in stores. However, if necessary, the authorities are ready to consider the issue of state regulation of the food market, the Ministry of Agriculture stressed..
Autumn is coming
The fact that on August 8, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Viktor Yevtukhov held a meeting with retail chains, Izvestia was told at once by two sources in the market. The official asked the retailers to notify each case of a sharp increase in prices by manufacturers. So far, the situation is stable – trade has inventories, but in September, inputs may change.
— Against the background of the weakening of the ruble in the food market, inflation can be expected: there is a possibility of an increase in prices for socially important goods in September. At the meeting, the Ministry of Industry and Trade wanted to understand what expectations and forecasts retail chains have. As long as retail stores have inventory, therefore, at the moment one should not expect any fluctuations in the cost of food, ”said one of the interlocutors of Izvestia.
He added that the market may be affected by a change in the exchange rate of the ruble: after it, the purchase prices will change. The fact is that there are objective factors that put pressure on manufacturers. For example, the costs of companies for consumables, equipment, spare parts for it, seeds, and so on have changed.
For example, Meat manufacturer Cherkizovo has notified retail chains of a 6.5% increase in the cost of turkey since the beginning of September. The manufacturer emphasized that the price increase is associated with a 10% increase in the cost of logistics, hatching eggs and packaging – by almost 20%. As a result, it became twice as expensive to produce meat.
In addition to the availability of commodity stocks, retail chains have other factors that are able to balance the situation to one degree or another: a good harvest of crops is expected this year, added another interlocutor of the publication. Therefore, the Ministry of Industry and Trade did not touch upon the issues of price regulation.
— Within the framework of such workshops, it is possible to analyze the current situation in detail and, if necessary, develop solutions that suit all parties. It is these solutions that successfully allow for a year in a row to maintain a comfortable combination of cost / quality of goods in the consumer market in Russia in any conditions.– said Viktor Evtukhov, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, following the meeting.
The department added that regional retail chains will join the system of voluntary margin limitation in stores for leading socially significant items – seasonal vegetables, sugar, bread, dairy products. Such a proposal was made at a working meeting of the Ministry of Industry and Trade with representatives of retail chains, interested federal executive bodies and experts. Previously, a system of voluntary limiting the margin – no more than 5% – was introduced and successfully applied by large federal retail chains. (such as X5, Magnet and others).
As the experience of major players has shown, this system is beneficial to all market participants, including stores, because it allows you to successfully compete for visitor traffic and attract more customers.
The Ministry of Agriculture told Izvestia that the department is closely monitoring the situation on the food market and price dynamics.
— If necessary, the issue of state regulation in this area can be considered. At the same time, according to the department, there are no grounds for this at present, they added.
Following the ruble
One of the main drivers of price increases is the weakening of the ruble against the US dollarNatalya Nazarova, head of the Institute for the Development of Entrepreneurship and Economics, told Izvestia.
— An increase in the value of the dollar means an increase in the purchase prices of imported goods and raw materials that are used in the production of domestic products. Not only various equipment and spare parts are imported, but also seeds for the production of agricultural products, veterinary drugs for farm animals, the increase in the price of which is also reflected in the increase in the price of products in supermarkets, she noted. – For example, Russia owns only 9% of potato seeds, and 3% of beets, everything else is purchased abroad.
Producer inventories mitigate the immediate impact of the ruble depreciation on price increases, but with their gradual depletion, the price of manufactured products will also risethe expert noted.
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