However, Feletti added to the speech the request to the food companies to roll back the prices of 580 products before March 28. “We are facing a speculative attack in the framework of a process of uncertainty unleashed by the war,” he assured. Although he said that the companies “committed” to comply with the request, he added: “The government has the legal tools of the supply law in case of shortages.”
higher increases
Live during the press conference at the Ministry of Productive Development, Feletti described which were the 10 companies that had the highest increases in the month, according to a survey carried out by the secretariat on 900 products: 12.1% Bodegas Chandon, 12.2% CCU, 10.9% Coca Cola, 11.3% Granix, 17% Los 5 Hispanos, 12.4% Prodea, 12.2% Quilmes, 12.1% Las Marías , 8.7% Benckiser, 22% Mondelez. In addition, he said that they were the suppliers “with the highest degree of non-compliance” in the gondolas. He accused them of “hacking” Care Prices, to sell nearby, with prices up to 40% more expensive.
The most criticized company was Las Marías, assuring that it “hinders” the renewal of Care Prices, which must be given before April 7. “They say that there is no yerba mate, so we corroborated it with the National Yerba Mate Institute, which told us that there are 310 million kilos available, what happens is that Las Marías has a hard time paying the producers well.”
The guidelines for the increase agreed with the companies had been between 2 and up to 3.5%. However, the Secretariat found that the average increase in gondola was 14.5%. He accused the private sector of an “unfounded, intolerable speculative attack against Argentines.” He mentioned the 10 products that rose the most in 3 days: clight orange juice from Mondelez (17.8%), Coca Cola light soda (12.9%), Cavernet Savignon from Bodegas Chandon (11.4%), Schenider from CCU (12.2%), La Serenissima de Mastellone whole milk (11.6%), Taragui Las Marias yerba mate (17.2%), Exquisita Molinos sponge cake (8.7%), Pepsi Light soda from Quilmes (30 .9%), Coca Cola Fanta Orange 1.75 liters (4%).
maximum tension
“There is no cost estimate that allows us to say this,” Feletti assured. “I make an appeal to develop business plans in this country, have a built brand, and not confront the population with a population of anguish when they made profits in 2021, look at the public balance sheets of the CNV, they are very good,” he added.
Feletti not only targeted the industry, but also supermarkets. He assured that compliance with the Care Price Program in March was only 61%, when it is usually around 80%. He indicated that the marketers with the highest non-compliance were the DIA chain and Carrefour.
The food companies did not expect Feletti’s speech, while they are in full negotiation of Cared Prices, which will have a quarterly increase as of April 7. They threaten to lower themselves, assuring that it is a “voluntary agreement”, while the Government will seek to increase the list of 1,300 products by adding those derived from flour, such as pasta and bread, due to the subsidy that the trust will give US$400 million, financed with 2 withholding points on soy derivatives.
The companies discredit the numbers that Feletti gave, assuring that the increases were lower, although they admit that they were higher than agreed because “they did not know what could come” after Alberto Fernández’s announcement. The announcement to go to a “war” against the inflation three days earlier it led to an uncontrolled redial, they read from the Secretary of Domestic Trade, angrily.
For the average increase in Care Prices, which was negotiated at around 5%, they will now ask for at least 9%. They justify that there was an increase in raw materials, in labor costs, in the rise of the official dollar and in logistics due to gasoline.
If the supply law is applied, Copal anticipates that it could prosecute the measure. On the other hand, although the companies will sign the new Close Care Prices, they anticipate that they will not comply with it. There will be 60 products, which are part of Care Prices, cleaning, warehouse, fresh and perfumery. Business sources consulted by this newspaper assured that there are more than 80,000 local businesses, where 75% operate informally, so it will be “impossible to comply.” Above all, because the program will not include carrying the price on the packaging, as the former secretary, Paula Español, had agreed last year.
Source: Ambito
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