The capping of the commercial allowance for basic foods, extended until the end of the year / Which foods are targeted
The Chamber of Deputies adopted a bill on Wednesday that extends the ceiling for basic foods. The government had set the cap to remain in force until June 30, 2026, and the new law will extend it until December 31, 2026.
In order to enter into force, the project still needs to be promulgated by President Nicușor Dan. For the project initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture, 292 deputies voted “for”, one “against” and one abstention.
Basically, the law extends the application of the measure limiting the commercial addition to basic food products. The commercial markup cannot exceed 20%.
List of targeted foods
The measure covers the following categories of basic food products:
- plain white bread,
- drinking milk 1 liter with 1.5% fat,
- telemea cow cheese,
- plain yogurt,
- white wheat flour,
- millet,
- eggs,
- oil,
- fresh chicken meat,
- fresh pork.
The list also includes fresh vegetables in bulk, such as potatoes, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, carrots and peppers, but also bulk fruits: apples, pears, plums and grapes.
White sugar, cream, butter and margarine also remain with a capped price.
“This measure does not fix the final price, the final price remains the result of the interaction between the actual cost and the allowed markup. Traders and producers retain the freedom to sell below the ceiling or apply promotions. There are no obligations regarding the volumes put on sale,” according to the project's statement of reasons.
For the first time, capping the commercial allowance for basic foods was introduced in 2023, during the Ciolacu Government.
