The Consiliul Concurenței has recently augmented its online platform, Monitorul Prețurilor (www.monitorulpreturilor.info), by incorporating a specialized section for products with capped commercial markups. This initiative, spearheaded by President Bogdan Chirițoiu, aims to bolster transparency in retail pricing and empower consumers with better tools to verify the prices of essential commodities.
Accessible from the main page under the "Produse alimentare" category, the new menu, "Produse cu adaos plafonat," allows users to view the prices of products with regulated markups. Based on user criteria such as location and availability, the application provides real-time price data uploaded by each retailer.
The newly updated section features a comprehensive list of products with capped commercial markups, covering a wide range of categories. These include staple foods such as bread, milk, yogurt, flour, and oil; meats like chicken and pork; a variety of vegetables and fruits; and other essentials like eggs, sugar, and rice.
The complete list of products with capped commercial markups includes essentials such as bread, milk, Telemea cheese, yogurt, flour, cornmeal, eggs, oil, whole chicken/grill, chicken parts, whole chicken legs with bone, chicken wings, pork cuts, pork leg with bone, boneless pork leg, and pork shoulder. It also encompasses a variety of fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, beans, carrots, Bianca peppers, Capia peppers, red apples, Golden apples, plums, watermelon, grapes, potatoes, garlic, and pears. Basic staples like sugar, rice, Cozonac, tomato paste, sour cream, margarine, yeast, minced meat, butter, and jam are also included in this list, ensuring a wide range of essential food items are covered under the capped pricing regulations.
The implementation of capped markups on these products follows a series of government emergency ordinances initiated on August 1, 2023. These measures aim to combat excessive price hikes on essential food items and ensure that consumers have access to affordable necessities.
The Monitorul Prețurilor project was originally launched by the Consiliul Concurenței in 2019. It consists of two main components: the Monitorul Prețurilor Produselor Alimentare, which tracks food prices, and the Monitorul Prețurilor Carburanților, which allows consumers to compare fuel prices from major distribution networks.
As the platform continues to evolve, it promises to provide even more robust support for consumers seeking to navigate the fluctuating landscape of retail prices. The impending update for mobile devices will further enhance accessibility, making it easier for users across the nation to stay informed and make cost-effective purchasing decisions.
