After more than a month of consultations with the businesses, today we announced the "New Year's Basket" that we announced for citizens during the New Year holidays. This "New Year's Basket" is something very different from the previous measures that were taken to protect the living standard of the citizens.
It is different in that instead of us, as the Ministry of Economy and Labor and the Government, making decisions to freeze and limit prices and margins, and other non-market solutions to influence the reduction of prices of essential food products, in cooperation with the Chambers of Commerce with producers, distributors and traders, today we have a "New Year's Basket" that arises precisely from the business," said Minister Besar Durmishi at today's presentation of the "New Year's Basket" in the Government with the Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.
"This initiative for the "New Year's Basket" was launched by the manufacturers, distributors and traders of food products and alcoholic and non-alcoholic products who offered to submit a list of their best-selling products during the New Year holidays that will be sold on sale at lower prices of 10% and more. The New Year's Consumer Basket is a promotional reduction in the prices of certain food products, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages that will be valid for one month, that is, in the period from December 15, 2024 until January 15, 2025, at a time when several holidays coincide.
The promotional price reduction covers essential food products from various product groups (bread and cereals, bakery products, meat and meat products, fish, milk and dairy products, confectionery, fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables, soft drinks (carbonated and non-carbonated) beverages, alcoholic beverages (wine and beer), etc. The product groups have been sublimated into a List of Food Products, encompassing over 675 products, offered by a total of 60 companies, manufacturers and distributors," said Minister Durmishi and emphasized that the products on the list that will be offered on the shelves in retail chains will be marked with a sticker and logo "Less costs, more for you." "In order to widely promote the "New Year's Basket" initiative, so that citizens can become familiar with the products offered in the List by manufacturers and distributors, there will be a special website "mojakosnica.mk".
“The list of food products is not final, it can be constantly supplemented with new products and new companies before the "New Year's Basket" campaign begins, as well as during the duration of the campaign, the Minister said, adding that this is an action that stems precisely from companies that show their social responsibility during the New Year holidays and will offer citizens lower-priced products. Given that this is an action that stems from the companies and is not a Government decision, no penalties are foreseen, that is, the control of whether the prices have been reduced as the producers and distributors themselves have offered or not will be carried out directly by the citizens. The State Market Inspectorate will be on the ground to determine whether all products on the list with reduced prices are marked in accordance with the Consumer Law. The Ministry of Economy and Labor is continuously working on adopting measures that will mean lower costs for citizens and protection of the standard of living. It is an honor and pleasure for me that we have had great interest in this action from a large number of manufacturers and distributors, of course with the support of retailers. I hope that in the coming period the number of products on the list will increase and we will all together meet the needs of citizens during the New Year holidays and we will all be socially responsible towards the citizens," said Durmishi.
