People start going to stores more and buying more - Lukashenko

People have started to go to stores more and buy more. This was stated by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko at the meeting on improving the system of regulation of pricing and price control, BelTA informs.

First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Snopkov reported on the situation in the consumer market. He stated that in the first 11 months of this year the retail turnover increased by 8.2% compared to the same period of 2022.

"That is, people began to go to the stores more and buy more. This is the main result," the head of state said about the figures.

At the same time, the profit from the sale of products in trade fell, which, however, was not a surprise for the government, but was quite expected and predictable. "It could not be otherwise, as we controlled the markups," explained Nikolai Snopkov. At the same time, he drew attention to the fact that only 137 out of 714 trade organizations, accounted by the National Statistics Committee, were unprofitable for 10 months of this year, with 105 of them forming their losses from current activities.

"The bulk of trade enterprises demonstrate financial stability. Despite the fact that we have reduced premiums," emphasized First Deputy Prime Minister.