Abras (Brazilian Association of Supermarkets) said on Thursday afternoon (9) that it proposed to the Bolsonaro government tax exemption for basic food products and exemption from payroll.
The representative of more than 50 retailers in the country says that she will pass on any reduction in the production chain to the consumer.
The demonstration came in response to the request by President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and the Minister of Economy, Paulo Guedes, for supermarkets to reduce the profit on the basic food basket as a way to contain the rise in prices.
The request is absurd and incompatible for a head of state, says the coordinator of CPI (Consumer Price Index) at FGV (Fundação Getúlio Vargas), André Braz.
“All supermarkets live by the laws of the market, of supply and demand. He is a reseller, practically does not manufacture anything. If he buys more expensive goods, because of other factors that have nothing to do with his profit, he also does not can sell cheaper than he buys”, says Braz.
“The supermarket is also responsible for generating jobs and income. And a business like that doesn’t work by buying expensive and selling cheap”, says the economist.
This is not the first time that the president, pressured by inflation, has passed the charge on to the sector.
In September 2020, the day after supermarkets warned of a 20% rise in the price of foods that make up the basic basket and demanded a solution from the government, Bolsonaro asked retailers for “patriotism” to avoid passing them on to consumers.
The first appeal had no effect. Food inflation continued to rise and, even with the IPCA (Extended National Consumer Price Index) showing a slight deceleration in May this year, the prices of the food and beverage group continue to rise.
As released by the IBGE this Thursday, among the 377 products and services that make up the index, the highest monthly increase was that of onions (21.36%).
Carrots and tomatoes had a sharp drop in prices, after the spike in the first months of 2022, which raised the basis for comparison.
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