The ministry’s representative stressed that the new rules aim at transparency in the supply chain rather than at fixing prices, and that breaches will go to the Consumer Protection Agency.
He added that stock turnover improved by close to 12% over the last quarter, but that the cost of finance remains the first obstacle to expansion in the governorates.
The Chamber’s view
The division head said the meeting examined the direct effect of the decision on supply inside the local market, and that the Chamber submitted a detailed memorandum carrying traders’ proposals on the timetable.
Transparency in the supply chain is not a burden on the market; it is what protects it from monopoly.
Chamber figures put the number of registered businesses at 41,000, up by 3,400 on last year, most of them in retail and logistics.
What happens next
- new pricing rules for staple goods among next quarter’s priorities
- A review of the timetable with the trade divisions
- A monthly report to the federation’s board
The Chamber had earlier launched a trader training programme on e-invoicing, taken up by more than 2,100 participants across six governorates.
Mona Abdel-Hakim
Samy Guirguis