2023-06-23 17:15:13
WKÖ-Fachverband reacts with “great astonishment” to statements by Christoph Matznetter and sharply rejects his allegations
Vienna (OTS) – Dear Dr. matznetter,
It is with great astonishment that we, the food trade, take note of your recent statements, with which you are attempting to make political capital out of unjustified accusations and the allegation of illegal price fixing.
First of all, we would like to state that as a food retailer, we always strive to offer high-quality products at fair prices. Prices in Austria are influenced by various factors, including energy costs, raw material costs and transport costs. In recent months, these factors have had a drastic impact on all stages of the value chain and have accumulated in the food trade as the last link in the chain. In addition, labor costs have risen sharply. Since the profit margin in the food trade is one of the lowest of all branches of the economy (approx. 1-2% return on sales), it is impossible not to pass on such large cost increases, at least in part, to the customers. This posed existential problems for self-employed merchants in particular, and many of them were forced to close their shops. Nevertheless, we are doing everything we can to mitigate the effects on our customers as best we can.
We would like to emphasize that the comparison with the German prices is in no way meaningful. The Austrian food trade is characterized by a diverse range of high-quality, local products as well as a wide range of organic products. Through successful cooperation with small-scale farms, we ensure quality and regionality. It is important not to reduce the discussion regarding the food supply solely to the price aspect in order not to further increase the pressure on agriculture.
We would also like to point out that the allegation you have made regarding price fixing at discounters and the use of price campaigns to subsequently increase prices is unfounded in our view. As a food retailer, we are legally obliged to comply with fair competition practices. We stand for transparency and fair prices for our customers. If you have solid evidence, we urge you to submit it to official bodies for further investigation and refrain from making vague allegations.
It is also unfortunate that you accuse an entire industry of using aid payments received to maximize profits. We bear a great responsibility towards our employees, suppliers and customers. The energy cost subsidies, of which you as a business representative should be aware that some of them have not yet been paid out for 2022 or cannot be applied for at all for 2023 (keyword EKZ2), aim to ensure local supply and the 160,000 secure jobs in the industry.
We appeal to you to stop your politically motivated attacks on the food trade and to recognize our efforts for quality, fair prices and transparent competition. Finally, we would like to emphasize that, despite the challenges, we as a food retailer are determined to make a contribution to our society and to look for solutions together that benefit everyone involved. Our goal remains to provide the population with high-quality products while ensuring fair conditions for all market participants.(PWK200/DFS)
Best regards,
KR Christian Prauchner
Chairman of the Food Trade Association
Questions & contact:
DMC – Data & Media Center
press office
Austrian Chamber of Commerce
T 0590 900 – 4462
dmc_pr@wko.at
1687577942
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