The Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI) published in the Official Gazette, this Thursday, the executive decree No.16 that establishes the maximum gross marketing margin for some imported products that make up the basic food basket.
Article 1 of said decree states the following: “establish in retail trade at the national level, a maximum gross marketing margin in all commercial establishments for, at least one of the most consumed presentations of the following imported products: previously identified in coordination with Acodeco and the MICI, based on the savings generated by the temporary elimination of tariffs (import taxes) on imports made from the effective date of Cabinet Decree No. 18. of July 25, 2022″.
Among the products are the formula for children from 1 to 5 years old, toothpaste, toilet paper, bath soap, canned fish, vegetable oil. wheat flour, corn flakes, among others.
Article 2 states that the Authority for Consumer Protection and Defense of Competition (Acodeco) will be the entity in charge of ensuring faithful compliance with the executive decree and must apply the respective sanctions to the agents of the entire chain of the indicated products. that violate its provisions or hinder its verification function.
Executive Decree No. 17 was also published in the Official Gazette, creating the “Panama Products” program, whose objective is to make national products available, at a discount price by the Agricultural Marketing Institute (IMA), to cover the needs of the population in conditions of vulnerability.
The program will be carried out in all IMA stores and agro-markets, including IMA stores in the Mercas nationwide and in stores, mini-supermarkets and grocery stores in the regions.
The decree adds that the national products of the ‘Panama Products’ program published in the annex to the decree may be purchased by consumers in the aforementioned establishments at a discount of 25% of the sale price registered in the Periodic Survey of the Basic Food Basket prepared by the Acodeco.
