The Minister for Equality, Irene Montero, has defended the Podemos proposal to create a network of public supermarkets, estimating that at least 1,000 establishments could be deployed throughout the country, with the capacity to concentrate 15% of the total market share and generate 50,000 direct jobs.

This was stated before the media in Castellón, before meeting with feminist and social groups, about one of the main measures of the purple formation, in its framework program for the 28-M elections, to create a public company of food distribution. In addition, together with the Podemos-IU candidate for the regional parliament, Marisa Saavedra; and the candidate for mayor of the capital of La Plana, Marisol Barceló, has claimed the need to “urgently” cap the price of food, as Podemos has demanded in the face of the inflationary trend of basic purchase products.

“Today we have learned new news about the price of food and I think that these show that the measures that the coalition government is implementing in Spain work, are useful and necessary, especially that intervention in the energy market that at the beginning only Podemos proposed. and that now it has become a very important measure that is looked at very carefully in Europe because it makes it possible to guarantee rights”, said the minister.

In this regard, Montero has indicated that “obviously” more must be done and that is why they have already urgently demanded “to cap the price of food” because there are still many families that cannot buy the food they need, but only what they need. can afford”. Meanwhile, he has denounced that the big food companies, especially Mercadona with “Mr. Juan Roig at the helm”, are increasing “outrageously their profits”.

“It is urgently necessary to cap the price of food and we are proposing to create a public food distribution company that guarantees fair prices for those who create these products, that is, for small and medium-sized farmers, but also for all the families that can consume at fair prices”, added. Thus, Montero calculates that at least 1,000 supermarkets could be built, creating 50,000 jobs and occupying 15% of the market share..

“We believe that this legislature is demonstrating that public intervention in the strategic sectors of the economy is the best formula to guarantee rights and, therefore, we are very clear that we must move forward, follow the path of this coalition government with the intervention of the energy market by creating a public food company with fair prices”, insisted.

end the bargain

In the framework program for the 28-M elections, Podemos includes the implementation of public supermarkets that compete against the large chains, forming almost an “oligolio” with three companies that control 40% of the market and “make gold” with the rise in food prices.

The purple formation, which has intensified its criticism of large chains for taking advantage of inflation, argues that they should end the “bargain” with these publicly owned establishments, offering lower prices and also benefiting small farmers and ranchers, as well as small neighborhood commerce.