In its goal of putting a cold shoulder on inflation, largely driven by the price of mass consumer products, the Ministry of Commerce has decided to launch – among other measures – a survey of about 15 mass consumer companies. suspected of applying price increases higher than general inflation. Consulted in this regard, the large supplier companies have indicated that the measures adopted in the context of the Ministry of Commerce, they create more uncertainty and complicate their operations.
According to the industries, this is how the official measures taken in recent days affect, such as supermarkets that do not accept price lists with increases of over 4% per month and also the survey ordered by the Matías Tombolini area to find out who to fixn prices “illegally “. Officials say such observations could amount to punishable anti-competitive conduct.
Although the resolution does not specify who these companies are, it indicates that they are “markets linked to the production and marketing of food” of “mainly national production”.
According to the Secretary of Industry, José Ignacio de Mendiguren, many companies were selling at premium prices, even “before Massa took office and there was no devaluation as expected, this happened not only in mass consumption,” he said. the official, referring to the official initiative to mitigate the escalation of inflation. “We have to contribute to stability. There is a suspicion that before the crisis there were abuses “the official pointed out.
Other official sources have indicated that the Secretary of Commerce has identified problems in the cost of oil, aluminum, steel and yarns. This is why these sectors are targeted and will certainly be called upon to explain how their respective price chains are made up.
When large companies providing mass consumption were consulted, hermeticism in the majority: “We have no information. We are waiting for news ”, underlined yesterday in one of the large industries that map in the beverage category.
Meanwhile, in another important producer on the market, they commented: “it’s more or less the same thing. Industry is not the cause of inflation, but the consequence. We closed Care Prices at the beginning of October, we were there available and prepared, they come and go with proposals and honestly the level of disturbance with the production sector is alarming “, a corporate source confided. And he added: “What is most worrying is the lack of SIRA approvals, which makes normal operation of our factories impossible. The level of uncertainty is very high.revised ..
In another food company they commented that “after the last meeting, two weeks ago, we had no news,” the source said, referring to the meetings held by the largest mass consumption companies, including Arcor, Mastellone, Quilmes, Coca-Cola, Unilever and Aceitera General Deheza, to negotiate a basket of products from leading brands that reaches the entire country.
The Argentine Chamber of Commerce and Services (CAC) have ratified that “the large-scale distribution sector has actually received orders not to accept lists with increases of more than 4% “. And they commented: “the decline in inflation, within the framework of an adequate macroeconomic policy, can be facilitated some sectoral agreements, which involve the coordination of prices and wages. But it must be based on adequate macroeconomic policies, on the fiscal, monetary and currency front ”, stated the institution.
According to the latest report by the National Institute of Statistics and Census (Indec), consumer prices increased by 6.2% in September compared to August and by 83% on an annual basis. While Food prices, meanwhile, increased 6.7% from August and 86.6% year-on-year.
Source: Clarin
