Capping retail markups extended until September 30, 2025

  The government on Friday extended by three months - until September 30, 2025 - the deadline for the application of Emergency Ordinance 67/2023 temporarily capping retail markups on basic food products.According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR), the measure aims to combat excessive increase in prices and protect the purchasing power of the population.Also at the government meeting, the term of application of Emergency Ordinance 84/2023, which establishes a mechanism for consultation and coordinated reaction in the context of exports of agricultural products from Ukraine. The extension contributes to keeping the balance of the domestic market and to supporting Romanian farmers and processors affected by massive imports."It is our responsibility to protect Romanian farmers and consumers. The decision to extend the capping of the retail markups on basic foods was taken in order to further protect the purchasing power of Romanians on low and medium incomes. We also continue to protect Romanian farmers from imports of products from Ukraine and preserve the licencing requirement for such imports. I'm calling on all Romanian processors to ensure their raw material from our farmers to help Romanian production, "Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Florin-Ionut Barbu is quoted as saying in a MADR press release.The news piece of legislation targets the business operators in the entire agri-food chain - producers, processors, traders - and has a direct impact on supporting vulnerable social categories, in accordance with the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights.Capping the retail markups on basic foods, a measure first taken in August 2023 to combat excessive price increases and targeting 14 groups of food products, was continued in 2024, but the list was extended. The Executive decided, at the end of 2024 to extend the measure throughout June 30, 2025.The list of foods includes: simple white bread of between 300-500 grams, without specialties; cow's milk for consumption 1 l, fat 1.5%, except UHT; in bulk telemea cow's milk cheese ; plain cow's milk yogurt, 3.5% fat, 200 grams ; white wheat flour "000" up to 1 kg; maize up to 1 kg; M-size chicken eggs; sunflower oil up to 2 l; fresh chicken meat; fresh pork; fresh vegetables in bulk; fresh fruit in bulk; fresh white potatoes in bulk; white sugar up to 1 kg; sour cream - 12% fatty; butter up to 250 grams; jam up to 350 grams.