Argentine Economy Minister and presidential hopeful Sergio Massa Friday announced an agreement with most leading supermarket chains and wholesalers for 90 days, during which prices will remain frozen in principle for some 52,300 mass consumption products and increases will be capped at 5% per month, it was reported in Buenos Aires.
Argentina's government formally launched on Friday its latest price control program as double-digit inflation sets the stage for tense annual wage talks in coming months. The one-year program sets prices on 194 supermarket items including staples like milk, meat and pasta as well as discretionary items such as beer and ice cream.
Argentine supermarkets must keep records of sales of plus 1.000 Pesos which must be available to tax inspectors, according to the latest decision from AFIP the tax revenue office. A thousand Pesos at the official rate is equivalent to 210 dollars and in the parallel 140 dollars.