The head of the antimonopoly service named the reason for the rise in prices for eggs and chicken

What will fall in price first – the chicken or the egg? Now this is perhaps the first headache of the antimonopoly service. Eggs from ordinary chickens became golden not because of the sabotage of laying hens, but because of the collusion of producers and sellers. How antimonopoly officers are breaking up “chicken cartels”, whether parallel imports will remain in Russia and what fate awaits marketplaces, the head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service Maxim Shaskolsky told senators on Wednesday.

Under the conditions of Western sanctions, the FAS is now forced to monitor not only prices, but also “the market” – public statements about increasing prices for certain types of goods.

– During 2023 and the past period of 2024, 19 cases were initiated in this area regarding violation of antimonopoly legislation in the wholesale markets of sugar, dairy products, and chicken meat. 25 warnings and cautions were issued in connection with public statements about increasing prices for certain goods, FAS head Maxim Shaskolsky reported to the senators.

Our retail chains and individual manufacturers, as it turns out, are individuals with a lower level of social responsibility. The Antimonopoly Service, according to its head, continues to work to increase this very responsibility. For “first price” goods – the cheapest, it turns out that traders reduced the markup from 22% to 6%.

Regardless of what started to rise in price first – chicken or eggs, “work” had to be done with giant producers, the head of the FAS noted. As for who was worked there, it remained outside the government hour. But there is definitely an effect – companies have decided to reduce selling prices.

Antimonopoly officials suggested that retail chains should reduce retail prices proportionately. The service reviews the implementation of this solution on a weekly basis. Judging by the price tags in stores, the sellers have not yet reached the end.

In general, the head of the FAS, who daily deals with the ineradicable thirst of business to make money in difficult times for the country, was phenomenally diplomatic.

“We studied the situation with changes in prices for chicken eggs, and we identified faster rates of growth in wholesale prices of producers compared to the increase in production costs,” this is how Shaskolsky subtly outlined the classic, not even for traders, but for traders, scheme: a price inflated “at three ends” , – Based on the results of the work carried out, 10 cases of violation of antimonopoly legislation were initiated, including on grounds of concluding anti-competitive agreements and carrying out concerted actions.

That is, that price tag on eggs that forced Russians to even write directly to Vladimir Putin is the result of “concerted actions.” In other words, collusion.

– Did you happen to study at the diplomatic academy? – asked the head of the FAS Valentina Matvienko. She also appreciated the presentation of information.

Traditionally, high tension remains in the area of ​​government procurement. According to the head of the FAS, over the year the antimonopoly service received 58 thousand complaints about procurement procedures.

– In 2023, in cases already considered, cartel fines amounting to 2 billion 100 million rubles were paid. Investigative authorities, based on statements from the antimonopoly service, as well as on materials from pre-investigation checks, have opened 39 criminal cases, the head of the FAS reported.

The leaders in the number of violations (“still” – a separate clarification from Shaskolsky) are road services, construction, pharmaceuticals, housing and communal services, social nutrition. In general, what society needs most is what business is trying to profit from. But the FAS is not asleep.

The senators were also very concerned about how things were going with parallel imports.

He is fine, the head of the FAS assured. We will continue, especially with regard to the goods most in demand by consumers. This mechanism solved two problems at once: it spurred demand and restrained prices. In addition, Russians did not have to change their consumer habits, which is also a plus. Even the notorious Tucker Carlson was sincerely surprised (and continues to do so to this day) how this is so – Russia has been under sanctions for two years, and the shelves in supermarkets are bursting with goods.

So parallel imports will remain in Russia. Whether someone likes it or not, the state in general and antimonopoly officials in particular are completely parallel.

Another hot topic that the senators were not averse to discussing with the FAS leadership was marketplaces.

“Online trading platforms,” Valentina Matvienko corrected her colleagues, “Let’s choose Russian words, otherwise my colleague Tsekov looks at me unkindly.”

Online trading platforms (we also won’t anger Senator Tsekov and will support Valentina Ivanovna) turned out to be some kind of super-fine matter. Just on Tuesday morning, a bill was introduced into the State Duma that should finally regulate this, by and large, wild market. But both Shaskolky and the speaker of the upper house urged people not to act too lightly. The main thing here is not to regulate. The head of the FAS recalled that even in the most developed countries of the world such sites are not available everywhere. And we have it. And, most importantly, people like it. But he called the bill, which the Duma members will soon consider, a good basis for a future law. The main thing is not to overwhelm. Otherwise you can kill him. In the sense of an Internet platform as a type of business.