The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) proposes to grant Russian regional governments the right to exert price controls and limit the prices of any goods, Izvestia daily reports a document on amendments to the government decree.
Such price controls would be most relevant in regions with high inflation, low incomes and limited access to certain goods, where prices are significantly higher than in neighbouring regions, Alexei Nikonov of the Ministry of Industry and Trade commented to Izvestia.
Currently the regional authorities can control price increases only for 24 positions of socially important essential products.
The analysts surveyed by Izvestya believe that in addition to the prices of bread, meat, vegetables and fruit, the prices of medicines, hygiene products, clothing, footwear, building materials and pet products could now become subject to restrictions.
The FAS does not define specific categories of goods for which prices will be reduced; this will be decided by regional authorities.
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