The Ministry of Internal Trade convened for this Monday the companies producing food and consumer goods, to sign the agreements reached for the launch of a new stage of the Care Prices program, which contains a total of 1,300 products and average increases of 2% per month.
The program in force since last October formally expired on Friday, while the new understanding –agreed with the companies in negotiations that took place in the last month- has an annual extension with quarterly reviews and monthly increases.
From the secretariat that leads Roberto Feletti It was highlighted that this new stage of Care Prices arises as a result of an agreement between the Government and the private sector, which is the intention from the first moment when taking over the management last October.
The Government seeks to guarantee a wide and diverse basket, with affordable prices and quality goods, always representative of the average Argentine consumption.
For this quarter, the new agreement contemplates a 6% average increase, that is, values can be updated at a rate of 2% monthly.
“There is a predisposition to dialogue and the Government states that it seeks to guarantee wide, diverse basket with affordable prices and quality goods, always representative of the average consumption of Argentines, “explained sources from the Ministry of Internal Trade.
After the expiration of the freeze
In October the Government -through the Secretariat- ordered a freeze by means of a resolution, due to the fact that in the last weeks of September and the first weeks of October “excessive increases” in mass consumer products had been registered.
“The intention since then is to dialogue to agree – they assured – and from the first day we work with all companies and chambers to achieve consensus like those reached this week.”
The new basket replaces the freeze that ended on Friday and was agreed with the companies in negotiations that took place in the last month.
The basic guidelines of the new stage of Care Prices
• It will cover 1,300 products
• It will contemplate average increases of 2% per month
• It is previously agreed with the companies
• It will have an annual extension with quarterly reviews