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- Trilateral agreement: Russia has extended the deadline for concluding agreements on price stabilization for goods
Trilateral agreement: Russia has extended the deadline for concluding agreements on price stabilization for goods
The possibility of concluding agreements on price stabilization between regional authorities, manufacturers and retail chains has been extended until 2030. The relevant decision was made by the Government of the Russian Federation. The measure is aimed at maintaining a stable situation in the consumer market. Today, maintaining the value of certain categories of goods in Russia remains a necessary measure, experts believe. This is especially important in conditions of high inflation, rising costs and the continued sensitivity of the population to the prices of basic products. Whether the agreements will improve the situation in the retail market is discussed in the Izvestia article.
An important agreement
The Government has extended the possibility of concluding agreements on price stabilization in retail between regional authorities, manufacturers and retail chains. The new validity period is December 31, 2029 inclusive. The corresponding decree was signed by the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin.
The solution is aimed at maintaining stability in the consumer market. Previously, the rule governing the conclusion of price stabilization agreements expired in May 2026.
According to the Federal Antimonopoly Service, as of October 2025, similar agreements have been concluded in 71 Russian regions. They involve 14,546 business entities, including 14,100 retail organizations, 100 pharmacy chains and points, as well as three gas stations. Over the past six months, the number of regions using this mechanism has increased by 20. The number of business entities that have joined the agreements has increased by 1,491.
An additional mechanism for stabilizing commodity prices was developed by the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia in 2023. Initially, it concerned essential goods. The measure provided for the possibility for regional authorities to conclude agreements with retail chains on price control for socially significant products.
The ministry stressed that the agreement is voluntary. It was specified that the regions would independently determine the need to sign such agreements and the items of goods that would be included in the list.
In November 2024, it was decided to extend the possibility of concluding agreements on price stabilization to all goods. The relevant amendments to the government decree were developed by the service together with the regions.
The document provided the authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation with the opportunity to conclude agreements on any food and non-food products, if necessary. The exception is products for which state price regulation has been introduced.
And in October of this year, the FAS proposed extending the possibility of concluding such agreements until the end of 2029. The service emphasizes that the mechanism has proven its effectiveness and is actively used by the regions.
The extension of the possibility of concluding agreements, according to the agency, will help improve the price situation in the consumer market and make goods more accessible to Russians.
A good deal
The conclusion of agreements focuses not on strict compulsory regulation, but on voluntary agreements, which is an effective way to stabilize prices, says Elena Elkanova, PhD in Economics, Associate Professor of Logistics at the Faculty of Economics and Business at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation. At the same time, regional authorities can offer support measures in response to business obligations.
The principle of operation of the mechanism is simple, says Alexander Anfinogenov, an independent expert of the FMCG market. Regional authorities can set maximum prices for certain categories of goods for 90 days within the framework of agreements, if their cost has increased by 10% in 60 days.
The establishment of marginal trade margins for a range of socially significant goods is key to the mechanism, says Pavel Semenov, adviser to the president of the Moscow Association of Entrepreneurs. This is necessary to avoid overcharging in a potentially unstable economic situation.
"This mechanism has already proved successful, while the prospect of expanding its effect to other categories of goods is quite possible in the event of a galloping increase in prices for them," the expert points out.
Today, the stabilization of the cost of certain categories of goods in Russia remains a necessary measure, says Elkanova. This is especially important in conditions of high inflation, rising costs and the continued sensitivity of the population to the prices of basic products.
The need to stabilize their cost, according to the interlocutor of Izvestia, is due to several factors. First of all, it is important that rising prices for basic products such as bread, milk, vegetables and eggs have a painful effect on low-income segments of the population. Maintaining the cost at a certain level ensures the availability of the food basket.
— At the same time, sharp price spikes for individual goods can provoke general inflationary expectations in the economy, which pushes producers and sellers to further increase prices. Stabilization helps to smooth out these peaks," the economist emphasizes.
The benefits are not for everyone
Today, retail chains are actively involved in price stabilization mechanisms, recalls Elena Elkanova.
"They prefer to voluntarily limit margins on a narrow range of socially significant products within the framework of agreements, as this allows them to fulfill a social function, maintain a market pricing mechanism for most other goods, and receive potential preferences and support from regional authorities," she points out.
Due to this mechanism, retailers receive certain advantages. Among them, the economist highlights:
— flexibility, since participation in agreements allows the networks to choose their own method of stabilization (limiting margins, fixing prices, etc.) and maintain market control over most of the product range;
— the support of the authorities, because regions are often ready to offer support measures to networks and manufacturers (compensation of logistical costs, preferential loans or preferences), which partially compensates for losses from limiting margins.
However, retail chains do not react enthusiastically to the introduction of agreements, believes Alexander Anfinogenov.
— Back in the spring, 13 industry unions and associations of trade and agriculture sent a letter to the Prime Minister criticizing initiatives on state regulation of food prices. The letter notes that such measures can harm the market, lead to shortages and lower investments, the Izvestia interlocutor clarifies.
As a result, the profit margin, which has been "sewn up" into the goods covered by the agreement and cannot be achieved if the mechanism is applied, is most likely distributed to other product lines of the retailer, Pavel Semenov believes. This, in his opinion, can lead to higher prices for categories of goods whose target audience is not so susceptible to an increase in value.
At the same time, the retail pricing system in Russia today is unfair, Anfinogenov is convinced.
— Online retail puts pressure on manufacturers on the input price of products, which provokes the replacement of ingredients with cheaper ones, and shrinkflation (intentional or forced reduction by the manufacturer of the quantity, volume or weight of goods in the package while maintaining or disproportionately reducing the selling price. — Izvestia) and so on. Traditional retail monitors the cost in the networks and tries to "keep up". As a result, in the producer – logistics – retail chain, retail is the main beneficiary," the expert believes.
According to him, manufacturers do not have the resources for development — their current activities ensure short-term efficiency, and loans are expensive today. And this situation is dangerous and can lead to serious problems if left to its own devices, warns Izvestia's interlocutor.
At the moment, the need to stabilize the cost of certain categories of goods remains, Anfinogenov notes. However, this should be a federal centralized price monitoring program for basic foodstuffs in the diet of the population, the list of which needs to be updated.
— Food safety is a strategic task of the Government of the Russian Federation. And it is necessary to form a structure that will deal with this on an ongoing basis, rather than relying on temporary voluntary agreements," the expert urges.
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