Lukashenko: Consumer cooperation has its own niche - stores of walking distance

The consumer cooperation has its own niche - stores of walking distance, and no hypermarket will replace them. This was stated by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko at the general meeting of representatives of members of the Belarusian Republican Union of Consumer Societies, writes BelTA.

"Alas, there is a steady downward trend in the share of consumer cooperative societies in the retail turnover of trade organizations of the country. Thus, if in 2010 your share accounted for more than 12% of the total volume, in 2020 - about 4%, in 2023 you will not reach 3%. You are underperforming in some district centers and large settlements in the presence of a solid infrastructure, there are losses in the countryside," Alexander Lukashenko said.

The President noted that the consumer cooperative society has its own niche - convenience stores, which will not be replaced by any hypermarket.

"It is clear, the competition is fierce. But no one is holding you back in the fight for customers. Last time we agreed to optimize the very process of trade organization - from the purchase of goods, input prices, assortment, delivery to retail facilities to its display, advertising and the like. We talked about a single purchasing operator and the development of Internet trade. As a result, you have not implemented anything effective," the head of state pointed out.