Skopje, 19 February 2025 (MIA) — The government's decisions to impose grocery price caps on basic food items and to limit gross profit margins of wholesalers and retailers were published Wednesday in the Official Gazette. The grocery price control measures enter into force Thursday and are expected to result in price cuts on some 1,000 food and household goods.

With the government's market intervention, the prices of milk, bread, wheat flour, eggs, cooking oil, buttermilk and yoghurt cannot be higher than their Feb. 1 prices.

Also, the gross profit margin on staples including milk, bread, wheat flour, eggs, cooking oil, buttermilk and yoghurt will be capped at 5 percent.

The gross profit margin on sales of meat and meat products, sugar, dairy products, margarine, butter, canned vegetables and fruits, beans, rice and pasta will be capped at 10 percent.

The gross profit margin on sales of fresh fruits and vegetables, detergents, baby food, diapers, soap and toilet paper will be capped at 15 percent.

The government made the decisions at its session Tuesday.

At a press conference following the session, Deputy Minister of Economy and Labor Marjan Risteski citing State Market Inspectorate data said retailers' current gross profit margins on sales of essentials were 20 to 25 percent, and wholesalers' gross profit margins were 20 to 50 percent.

According to the market intervention, grocery stores will need to have in stock at least 70 percent of the 1,000 products at all times.

Earlier on Wednesday, in response to the government's decisions, representatives of the newly established Chamber of Wholesalers and Retailers asked for another meeting with the government.

Their first meeting with government representatives was on Feb. 14, when they had proposed that price controls be imposed on only 100 or 200 items. mr/