Retail chains «SMALL» and «METRO» have been held accountable for increasing trade mark-ups.
«Large retail chains 'SMALL' and 'METRO', with several branches across the republic, as well as the premium-class gastronome 'Esentai Gourmet', the largest in the metropolis, have been brought to administrative liability in Almaty for increasing trade mark-ups», the press service of the trade committee of the Ministry of Trade and Integration reported.
It became known that over six months, the territorial departments of the Committee for Trade and Consumer Protection initiated 2,357 administrative cases.
Based on their results, 2,228 rulings were issued on bringing to administrative liability, of which 381 were in the form of fines and 1,847 were warnings for violations committed for the first time.
«Compared to the same period last year, the performance indicators of state control for the 6 months of the current year have more than doubled», the statement reads.
The largest number of violations were identified under two articles of the Administrative Code – exceeding the trade mark-up on socially significant food products (SSFPs) (Article 204-4 of the Administrative Code) and applying different prices or the absence of price tags (Parts 4 and 5 of Article 193 of the Administrative Code).
Recall that earlier the AFM identified instances of inflated prices for SSFPs supplied to kindergartens in Astana. The agency achieved a reduction in prices under contracts for the supply of SSFPs in 21 preschool institutions in the city. The savings amounted to more than 31 million tenge.
In addition, the AFM reduced the purchase price of food products in the SSFP basket in the East Kazakhstan Region. It then turned out that the State Institution 'Centre for Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs' of the Education Department of the East Kazakhstan Region was purchasing SSFPs at inflated prices from an entrepreneur. As a result, the purchase price for carrots was reduced by 35% (from 325 to 242 tenge), and for cabbage (from 380 to 238 tenge) by 60%.
Furthermore, in April last year, the AFM in the Karaganda Region identified an excessive mark-up on eggs and reduced prices for potatoes. Additionally, the agency identified inflated prices for sugar in Zhezkazgan, for rice in the Kyzylorda Region, and for kefir in the Abai Region.