The inspections were carried out in distribution centers of the Carrefour, Coto and Cencosud chains (Jumbo, Disco, Vea) in the province of Buenos Aires
For iProfessional
01/14/2023 – 11:46 a.m.
The Ministry of Commerce intensified its controls in the distribution centers of the main supermarket chains due to the detection of missing products belonging to the Fair Prices program, with the collaboration of logistics workers belonging to the truckers union.
The inspections were carried out this week in distribution centers of the Carrefour, Coto and Cencosud chains (Jumbo, Disco, Vea) located in the province of Buenos Aires, the area led by Matías Tombolini reported in a statement.
In these controls, the inspection staff of the Secretariat came to “verify the delivery of a sample of the products requested by the supermarkets to their suppliers, which are within the Fair Prices program.”
The audited products were those of the companies Molinos Río de la Plata, Molinos Cañuelas, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Morixe and Colgate-Palmolive.
What was the role of the truckers union?
These inspections were carried out in collaboration with the truckers union, after a meeting that Tombolini held with the head of the Truck Drivers union (Sichoca), Pablo Moyano.
Specifically, workers from the union’s logistics branch, headed by Oscar Borda, helped verify compliance with the merchandise.
According to the monitoring, non-compliance is close to 34% with respect to the stock in supermarkets
Moyano said in a statement from the union that he leads that it is “very important” that “the large distribution centers comply with the supply to guarantee that the products are on the gondolas”, and this motivated “joint work to carry out controls” with Commerce.
The truck drivers and the head of the distribution plant were asked to show the trailer to check that the delivery matches the order placed.
Said information “will be processed in the next few days to stipulate possible sanctions”, detailed the Secretary of Commerce.
“It is essential to put more eyes on verification, so that Argentine families pay what is fair in each store they attend,” Tombolini said in this regard.
According to Commerce, the latest daily monitoring reports carried out by the area on Fair Prices show a non-compliance of close to 34% regarding the stock in supermarkets.
Among the suppliers with the lowest supply are Bunge (30%), Mondelez (49%) and Pepsico (58%), among others.
The program, launched last November and valid until March 31, froze the prices of nearly 2,000 products that are part of the basic basket in the food, beverage, dairy, personal hygiene, and cleaning items, with the participation of more than 100 companies that represent 86% of mass consumption in Argentina.
In parallel, the adhering firms committed to not increase more than 4% per monththe final price of the rest of the more than 30,000 products offered in the market.
