PRICES UNDER DEPUTY'S CONTROL

As is known, the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, following a meeting on the price situation in the country on October 6, signed Directive No. 10 "On the Impermissibility of Price Increases". On October 19, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus adopted Resolution No. 713 "On the Price Regulation System", which established 370 commodity items subject to maximum importer markups and maximum retail markups. The markup regulation covered 138 food products and 222 non-food products. The markups approved by the resolution range from 15 to 55 percent.

In Lepel, as in other districts and regions of the republic, price monitoring for goods, especially socially significant ones, continues. This time, we are visiting retail outlets in the city together with Igor Martynov, a deputy of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus. The parliamentarian's attention is focused not only on large but also on small shops of various forms of ownership.

Bakery products, dairy, cereals, vegetables and fruits, meat... In retail outlets, Igor Feliksovich paid attention not only to prices but also to the assortment, product shelf life, and availability of goods, including domestic ones.

For example, "Santa Super" is a spacious store that appeared in our district a couple of years ago and has become popular among Lepel residents during this period. The deputy assessed the retail outlet positively, noting the impressive selection of goods as an advantage, as well as the fact that prices remained unchanged from the beginning to the end of October. He also had no questions regarding the quality of the goods.

On this day, the retail outlets "Khit! Express", shops of the Lepel branch of the Vitebsk regional consumer union, and others did not go unnoticed.

In the confectionery shop No. 1 "Edа i Kofe", the manager Leonidа Makarevich informed the deputy about the range of products presented on the shelves. It must be said that personally, my eyes widen when I want to choose a pastry at this outlet. I know for sure that they are always fresh and at an acceptable price here.

Lepel residents visit the confectionery shop to purchase ready-made salads, cutlets, fish, and other dishes.

– I pay attention not only to supermarkets, as not all citizens have the opportunity

to reach them. Although in small towns like Lepel, it is worth noting the convenient location of important social facilities – everything is within walking distance.

We conduct price monitoring on a systematic basis. We pay special attention to socially significant goods and medicines. When studying the assortment, I pay special attention to how Belarusian and local producers are represented in the retail outlet.

It is pleasing that in the shops there is a sufficient quantity of fruit and vegetable products on the shelves – which are most in demand now. Belarusian apples, for example, are cheaper than imported ones.

It is important that citizens, when visiting retail outlets every day, can buy goods at the same price. Enterprises, trade organizations, suppliers, and importers have been tasked with finding opportunities to reduce costs in order to increase profitability not at the expense of price increases.

The deputy noted that he often conducts covert monitoring. By putting socially significant goods into the basket, he personally checks the correspondence of the figures on price tags and in receipts.

The parliamentarian also visited pharmacies in Lepel. According to the monitoring results, their assortment and prices comply with the requirements.

If any drug is unavailable, analogues are offered. Sometimes people report price differences for medicines in different pharmacies. Such nuances are explained by different supplies.

According to the deputy, in general, the pricing policy for a socially significant group of goods is carried out in accordance with the Resolution of the Council of Ministers "On the Price Regulation System", the main goal of which is to maintain price stability, counteract speculative price increases and possible shortages of certain categories of goods.

Igor Feliksovich also did not miss the opportunity to communicate with buyers.

Thus, a visitor to the "Santa Super" store said that the retail outlet is conveniently located – on one of the central streets of the city, and there is ample parking near the store. Therefore, he stops by here for groceries after work. He paid attention to prices throughout October, even took photos of some with his phone, but found no violations.

Natalia Khrapovitskaya.

https://lepel-kraj.by/novosti/vlast-i-lyudi/ceny-na-kontrole-u-deputata-28-10-2022