The visit to the supermarket was part of consultations on the preparation of the draft Federal law On the Principles of Government Regulation of Commercial Activity in the Russian Federation.
After discussions with those participating in the restricted attendance meeting, the Prime Minister decided to continue the conversation in a Moscow shop, and find out what its mark-ups on products were.
To that end, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited a branch of the Perekrestok supermarket chain. At the dairy section, the Prime Minister asked what the mark-up was on dairy products. It emerged that the average mark-up is 10 roubles.
Then Prime Minister Vladimir Putin went over to the delicatessen section. There, having looked at the documents he had brought with him, he said that the mark-up on that kind of produce was as high as 52%.
Going over to the area where refrigerated pork is kept, the Prime Minister established that it is supplied at a price of 160 to 170 roubles, but that the shop price was 335 roubles. "So essentially that means it is twice as expensive. Is this normal practice?" the Prime Minister asked the retail company's manager.
After his impromptu visit to Perekrestok, Prime Minister Putin returned to the Government House where he continued the meeting in an expanded format, with representatives of federal government agencies, commercial businesses, and producers also participating.