In a new attempt to control inflation, the Ministry of Economy launched the Fair Pricing program this Friday, which joins the Pricing Careful program, which was revamped in early October.
1. What is the Fair Pricing program?
Fair Prices is a voluntary agreement for 120 days between the state, companies that supply consumer goods and supermarkets to maintain constant prices 1,760 products from the food, beverage, dairy, personal hygiene and cleaning sectors.
2. How will it be carried out?
The agreement consists of two axes: on the one hand, lProducts that will remain at a fixed price until March enter the program at a price of up to 4% higher than the average recorded in October 2022 e they will remain stable for the next 120 days.
Secondly, the rest of the products marketed by the companies participating in the program will have a monthly increase guideline up to 4% for the same 120 days in the selling price to supermarkets and wholesalers.
3. What does the government offer in exchange for the blockade?
The State undertakes to “grant guarantees and certainty in the process of importing intermediate goods, finished products that are part of the value chain and supplies for companies that commit to this price agreement”. It is a key point for the companies participating in the agreement.
4. What is the purpose of the measure?
The goal is to achieve price stability of essential products consumed by Argentine families for a certain period of time.
5. How long will the measurement last?
It will take 120 days from the signing of the agreements.
6. Which companies are participating in the agreement?
About 100 companies representing 86% of mass consumption in Argentina. Some of the participants are Molinos, Coca Cola, Unilever, Quilmes, Mastellone, AGD, Ledesma and Las Marías, among others. In addition, supermarkets will be able to supply products with their own brand.
7. How many products does Fair Prices have and which items does it cover?
It contains 1,760 products, fixed price warehouse products, dairy products, cleaning products, perfumery, personal care and hygiene, baby items, fresh products and beverages.
8. In which stores will the prices be fair?
Consumers will be able to find the products on the shelves of retail and wholesale supermarkets.
9. How do you identify the products in the supermarket?
The Secretariat of Commerce has prepared specific Fair Prices signs so that supermarkets clearly and precisely indicate which products fall within the provision. It will be visible on supermarket shelves.
10. Where can you consult the agreed products, prices and activities?
On the official page of the program (https://www.argentina.gob.ar/preciosjustos) The Secretariat also makes other channels available. In the Fair Prices application (available on Android and IOS) consumers will be able to track products. The app allows you to scan the barcode of a product and find out if it is part of the agreement; know the list of products with Fair Prices; and report non-compliance with the program.
The program also has two chatbots, one for requests on the retail channel (+54 9 11 2879-0887) and another for requests on the wholesale channel (+54 9 1125244728).
11. What will happen to the service prices?
Since the signing of these agreements, Fair prices absorbs the products included in the care prices.
12. How will the companies be controlled?
As part of the control operations to validate compliance with the agreements, which regulate throughout the territory, the Ministry of Commerce will sign agreements with the mayors to strengthen monitoring. In this way the number of inspectors is expanded throughout the national territory.
The Secretariat will provide the Municipalities with the technical indications and training necessary to carry out the investigations and therefore the sanctioning process will be carried out through the usual mechanisms carried out by the Undersecretary for Consumer Defense.
These agreements will be replicated with various municipalities in the area. In turn the Ministry of Commerce will transfer 25% of the proceeds of the sanctions to the corresponding local authority made in each district.
Furthermore, in order to ensure compliance with the agreed pricing guideline, the Ministry of Commerce will continue to monitor price changes on a daily basis through the Argentine Electronic Price Advertising System (SEPA).
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Source: Clarin
