The Consumer Protection Service is proceeding with a new round of consultations with all the parties involved to promote the bill concerning the “household basket”, with the aim of precisely defining the methodology so that, with its implementation, the measure will bring substantial benefits for the consumer, stated the Director of the Service, Konstantinos Karagiorgis.
Speaking to KYPE, Mr. Karagiorgis did not give a timetable for the implementation of the measure, stressing that further time is needed for processing, so that when this measure is enacted it can be effectively implemented by everyone.
After the’ beginning of its approval by the Council of Ministers, the amending bill, which allows the Minister of Commerce, among other things, to determine by decree the "household basket", was placed in intensive consultations of the Service with all involved bodies, retail and wholesale trade associations , consumer associations and trade unions.
"There was a creative productive discussion and we heard mainly from the side of the retail trade links, the supermarkets of the wholesale trade all the problems they face due to the increased cost of raw materials and fuel, which affect the operation of the supermarkets and those involved in the supply chain”, said Mr. Karagiorgis, adding that "we proposed a measure, which we considered that at the current stage, as the situation is, it would be beneficial and facilitate consumers, alongside other measures that we are working on" .
He also noted that everyone expressed their willingness to contribute to the implementation of the measure, when and if it is decided, but defining a correct methodology so that no problems arise, adding that the links were equally supportive. of consumers as well as the unions that supported this policy.
"The conclusion that comes", he added, "is that in the next period we will have to enter into a new round of consultation, of a more detailed format, in order to arrive at the methodology for the implementation of the measure, but also to discuss its supervision mechanisms, so so that when it is submitted to the Parliament we will have a complete, recorded bill, which will refer to all the details that will govern a possible decree that will be issued in the future and which will be defined by the law».
Saying that the Agency never mentioned a timetable for the implementation of the measure, Mr. Karagiorgis said that the Agency worked very hard, but explained that the methodology should be finalized, which products will be included in the basket, how they will be included, how the supervision, how the prices will be posted and how the signage will be done in the supermarkets.
«It is not enough to put them on a piece of paper, but you have to implement them, so you need a correct methodology that everyone aligned and those involved in the process can effectively help consumers in a meaningful way, he said. when we are ready and complete and we feel that the implementation of this measure will bring substantial and correct benefits to the consumer then we will proceed to table it for a vote he concluded.
Source: KYPE
