The consumers’ organisation Testaankoop as issued a call for a freeze on the price of 100 basic grocery products for a period of three months. Testaankoop issued its call to the Belgian Government in an interview published in Wednesday’s edition of the daily ‘Het Laatste Nieuws’.
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Consumers’ organisation calls for a freeze on the price of 100 basic grocery products
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"We currently find ourselves in an exceptional situation in which it has become difficult for consumers to be able to purchase affordable basic products”. By launching its proposal Testaankoop hopes above all to encourage debate about measures to safeguard purchasing power.
Testaankoop has calculated that in March 2023 groceries on sale in Belgian supermarkets were 20% more expensive than they were a year earlier. As a result of this the consumers’ association is calling for the government to act by freezing the price of 100 basic grocery items for a period of three months.
The so-called “anti-inflation basket” would contain basic products such as bread, milk, fruit and vegetables. The idea comes from Greece and France too has introduced similar measures. “If they can do it there, why can’t we do it here?” Testaankoop asks.
Speaking on VRT Radio 1’s morning news and current affairs programme ‘De ochtend’ Testaankoop’s Laura Clays explained that her organisation accepts that the government has already taken some measures to ensure that purchasing power is maintained. However, "desperate times, call for desperate measures".
"We know that the government’s means are limited, be we believe that thought should be given to resolving this issue. We feel that an “anti-inflation basket is a bad idee and this is why we have launched this proposal. We will look at the practicalities and will pay for it later."
Flemish Employment Minister fears “empty shelves”
However, the Flemish Employment Minister Jo Brouns (Christian democrat) is unconvinced. Mr Brouns told ‘Het Laatste Nieuws’ that “The government imposing price freezes will lead to empty shelves or bankrupt suppliers”.
The retail trade federation Comeos is also not in favour of an “anti-inflation basket” as it says that supermarkets' profit margins are already thin and such a measure would impose even greater pressure on farmers.