The General Workers’ Union has received several complaints from small grocers
whose hands are tied because of prices.
The General Workers’ Union is supporting MEP Alex Agius Saliba’s motion insisting
that the European Commission launches an investigation into the prices of food sold
by supermarkets and small grocers in Malta after Brussels refused to take the matter
away from the National Competition Authority.
The GWU emphasises that it too has received several complaints from owners of
small grocery shops in Malta. They stated that their hands are tied and they are even
being threatened by some of the big importers in Malta if they lower the prices of
certain food products they have bought cheaply from parallel traders of these big
importers in Malta. They were threatened that otherwise they would lose access to
other major brands.
The owners also admitted that the big importers put hologram stickers on their
products to distinguish them from those of the smaller parallel traders so that they
could not compete with them in the market.
The GWU said that part of the reason for the cost of living burden in our country is
the excessive profit that certain importers want to make and continue to make at the
expense of families in our country.
It agrees with the wise step that the government has taken to ensure that inflation
does not become a burden on the people, namely the initiative to maintain a stable
price for 400 food items in 15 categories.
The GWU reaffirms that it will continue to work on its proposals for the cost of living
in order to maintain the quality of life of workers and pensioners in our country.
