Controlled prices? The plan is likely to fail without the producers
By September 10th the modalities of the “anti-inflation quarter”, which will last from October 1st to December 31st and which will provide for controlled prices on a selection of items included in the “shopping cart”, through various methods, such as the application of fixed prices, promotional activities on the identified products, or through initiatives on the range of branded products such as carts at a discounted price or unique.
But, says the press, without the producers the plan can fail. Large-scale distribution doesn’t fit “We appreciate the spirit of the government initiative, but as an association we cannot adhere to a protocol that completely ignores the peculiarities of our supply chain”, Pietro D’Angeli, president of Assica, explains to La Stampa association of meat and cured meats industrialists, which together with Assocarni, Assitol, Assolatte, Italmopa and Union food on Thursday in a note recalls that any reasoning on the pieces of the products cannot ignore also the weight of raw materials, energy, packaging and logistics.
“The anti-inflation pact is a “shortcut” that risks putting the entire food chain in difficulty, starting with the farmers – the managing director of Filiera Italia, Luigi Scordamaglia, always claims to La Stampa -. It makes no sense an agreement closed only with large-scale distribution. It is not useful, because blocking the prices of some goods in the last phase of sale does not allow to cover production costs”.
“Reducing the prices of consumer goods without controlling production prices means transferring costs entirely to companies”, then says Francesco Mutti, president of Centromarca, in an interview with La Stampa. “We cannot promote an activity of this type, the market must be left alone. Even the Antitrust does not allow us to promote certain commitments. Any forced inclusion risks unbalancing and blowing up the system already heavily affected by the inflationary push of 2022. Furthermore in this match there is another great absentee: “The producers of raw materials. They too must be involved, we need to intervene on upstream costs. The increases in some raw materials, compared to 10.12 months ago, are in a declining phase , while others continue at unsustainable levels, for example glass”.
Mutti continues: “We don’t know what to expect from the government but we fear distribution will fall back on the producers.”
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