About a month ago, the Minister of Economy Luis Caputo criticized supermarkets for offering 2×1 discounts and promotions arguing that INDEC does not take these types of discounts into account when measuring prices and, therefore, they are not reflected in monthly inflation.
A few days later, the Chilean company Cencosud, owner of Jumbo, Disc and See, took the official’s order and around 1,000 own-brand products discounted for 30 days individually instead of offering promotions. Something that Caputo celebrated on social media with “applause” emojis.
Now, Carrefour joined the movement. The French network presented the sixth edition of Courageous prices. Under the motto “Defending price and quality”, the company will keep the prices of 1,500 own-brand products fixed until 15 July 2024, in the 22 provinces where it is present.
“We are convinced that our brand is the best price and quality alternative to accompany people in their daily purchases,” said Néstor Sist, co-executive director of Carrefour in the country, regarding the initiative. Meanwhile, Candela Arias, co-executive director of the chain, recalled that the Precios Corajudos program It was implemented six years ago as “a commitment to plan for the domestic economy” hit by inflation.
As reported, the company continues to expand the variety of its brand and, in the first quarter of 2024, has already introduced 36 new products, including powdered milk, flavored juices and waters, biscuits, marinades, condiments and detergents, among others. Diapers, yogurt, frozen potatoes and instant cocoa are some of the most popular launches, supermarket managers commented.
These types of actions taken by supermarkets are part of the sharp decline in consumption. Retail sales, according to CAME data, are they fell 25.5% annually in February and one of the items with the largest decline was Food and beverages. In this sector the decline reached 33.3%.
Each chain with its strategy
Other chains, meanwhile, are implementing other pricing strategies to bolster sales. Chango Más, for example, has had a “protected basket” since the end of last year. This is a set of 119 basic products, “at the lowest price in the entire modern supermarket channel”, according to the chain.
“The basket includes more than 40 basic categories of food, fresh, beverage, hygiene and perfumery products, among which stand out: oil, dairy products, flour, aromatic herbs, coffee, diapers, bleach, detergents, among others. All products are marked on the shelf with special labels and signage to facilitate identification,” commented a chain source.
Da Coto explains that the chain’s contribution to the crusade against inflation comes through “doing strong sales on around 15,000 products every weekend or extend the number of days in which offers are made that can expire from 30% to 50%. “In a weekly projection, in number of days, it is equivalent to freezing for 30 days and with more products”, they explained to the local chain managed by entrepreneur Alfredo Coto.
For its part, the Spanish company Dia just launched its first national call in March. suppliers for your own brand. The goal is to broaden offerings and “contribute to the entrepreneurial development of the neighborhoods and communities in which we operate,” they said.
Source: Clarin
