Adhesion to the Apecic, with responsibility: ANTAD

Two weeks after the announcement of the Opening Agreement Against Inflation and Scarcity (Apecic), the National Association of Self-Service and Department Stores (ANTAD) warned that companies will not proceed to control prices, much less will they “be irresponsible or put at risk to the Mexican consumer with the importation of meat, after the release of phytosanitary procedures”.

Vicente Yáñez, president of the National Association of Self-Service and Department Stores (ANTAD), commented that the Apecic rules have not been published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), so the procedure for sanitary measures is unknown. to be able to import meat from third countries and avoid paying tariffs and paperwork.

Even though it is a pilot program, only two members of the Association participate in the Apecic, and the issue of inflation “is not a magic wand,” said the leader of self-service stores, since it is not only up to businessmen to reduce costs , but from all parties, as from all governments.

“In the phytosanitary part, we are not going to be irresponsible, nor put at risk the phytosanitary status that Mexico has, which is a large exporter of food, and on the other hand, nor put the health of customers at risk, nobody will do that. They are responsible companies that are going to do it and must take care of it, ”he explained.

In an interview, the president of ANTAD highlighted the “best intention” of the associated companies to lower inflation, but they are awaiting the operating rules of Apecic.

This Monday, President Andrés Manuel López urged Profeco to speak with self-service stores such as Walmart, Soriana and Chedraui so that they fulfill the commitment to lower the prices of the basic basket of 24 products (rice, beans, tuna, red meat, sardine , apples, onion, tomato, potato and even tortillas, others).

However, Vicente Yáñez responded that the issue of inflation is resolved globally, with a lot of fiscal discipline and time.

“What we must convey to people is time. For example, in minimum wages and salary increases we must be responsible, otherwise we feed the fire. Well, as the phrase goes, when salaries go up the stairs, prices go up the elevator and that movie Mexico has already experienced it, and we don’t want to repeat it, much less controlled prices.”

The ANTAD representative asked not to confuse the objective, since inflation “is something that should concern us all because it is a tax that most affects those who have the least.” From the perspective of self-service stores, the Apecic “does not solve the problem” of inflation, but it does help and for this, one must be very disciplined. “The ANTAD companies that participate in this are two and later there will be more, and those that join will do so with all responsibility.”

lilia.gonzalez@eleconomista.mx