Skopje, 1 March 2024 (MIA) – Initial reports from the State Market Inspectorate show that some of the markets haven’t raised the prices while others have after the Government’s “guaranteed price” measure ended on Friday.

The Inspectorate said price increases are expected, but urged social responsibility among retail and wholesale traders.

“According to my information, wholesale suppliers are already changing their prices for the retail traders as a result of which price increases are expected, but I urge that retail and wholesale traders demonstrate social responsibility and retain prices on the same level if possible,” said the head of the State Market Inspectorate Goran Trajkovski on Friday.

Trajkovski said the Inspectorate can’t affect prices, but he said he believes that some of the bigger supermarket franchises will be running discounts on certain food products.

“Based on what we saw over the past period, with several big supermarkets, as socially responsible companies, running additional discounts on other food products that weren’t included in the Government’s decision, I believe that this will happen now too, and the citizens will decide where they shop, because we can’t stop the price of bread rising from Mden 29 to Mden 35,” said Trajkovski, adding that the Inspectorate will focus on the application of legislation in this field.

The “guaranteed prices” measure was introduced on September 20, 2023, it ensured that many food products were sold at prices 10 percent lower than the ones they had on August 1 of 2023.

Photo: MIA Archive