People are seen in a cafe as a policeman patrols outside in Moscow (AFP)
Moscow:
Retailers in Russia will restrict sales of essential foodstuffs to curb black market speculation and ensure affordability, the government said on Sunday as sanctions imposed over Moscow’s military incursion into Ukraine began to bite.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry said this weekend there had been cases where essential foodstuffs had been purchased “in a volume clearly greater than necessary for private consumption (up to several tons) for later resale”.
Trade organizations representing retailers had proposed that retailers be allowed to limit the volume of specific goods sold to individuals at any time, the ministry said.
“The Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Ministry of Agriculture supported the initiative of trade organizations,” the press release said, noting that the organizations would develop the policy themselves.
Essential goods, whose prices are subject to state controls, include bread, rice, flour, eggs and select meat and dairy products.
Moscow has been hit by Western countries with a damaging package of financial and cultural sanctions since the Kremlin launched on February 24 what it called a “special military operation” in neighboring Ukraine.
The central bank has taken unprecedented measures in recent days, including capital controls, to support the struggling economy and the ruble.
The tanking ruble has brought back unpleasant memories of the financial instability of the 1990s, when millions of Russians saw their savings evaporate under the effect of a currency devaluation and rising inflation.
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