The government is going to ban large grocery networks to buy new areas

The Government of the Russian Federation proposed to introduce restrictions on the purchase of additional retail space with food networks if the maximum threshold of their dominance is higher than 25% and the total turnover of the network over 1 billion rubles, Interfax reports.

The relevant proposals are contained in the draft law on the regulation of trading activities published in the automated information system of the Russian Federation. This document was discussed at a meeting of the Government Presidium on Monday and was submitted to the State Duma of the Russian Federation on Wednesday.
The draft law is supplemented by Article 16: "Restriction of actions to acquire by retail chains of new retail facilities."

It is assumed that the food retail networks, the total turnover of which in the Russian Federation exceeds 1 billion rubles, the share of which exceeds 25% of the total volume of sold or purchased food goods within the boundaries of the district or municipal district, as well as within the boundaries of Moscow and St. Petersburg, is not entitled to purchase additional retail seats for the purposes of trading activities, put into operation new retail facilities, participate in new retail facilities, participate In tenders for the acquisition of new retail facilities.

Violation of these requirements is the basis for the arbitration court recognized as invalid, including the claim of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS).

The draft law is made a reservation that the requirements of this article are not applied to transactions related to the acquisition or commissioning of new trading facilities committed before this law.