Why is everything so expensive in Russia?

The reason for high prices in Russia is the greed of sellers and the habit of buyers. So believes the Minister of Economic Development Andrei Belousov. "The cost of goods in Russia is so high, because we have such a trading culture. Our buyer, unfortunately, is used to such prices. And this allows sellers and intermediaries to wind up a margin, which is sometimes measured in hundreds of percent," he said in an interview with the Moscow Komsomol . PublicPost asked retailers and economists if they agree with the minister.

Dmitry Netkach, managing partner in Watcom Shop Mechanics (studies of consumer behavior and effective models of the retail environment):

“We specialize in observing the behavior of the consumer in retail. Everyone understands that we have higher prices than in Europe, than in the USA. And all people have one question:“ What are we paying for? ”Buyers pay because they have no choice. I think that the culture of trade in pricing has, rather, the general infrastructure of business. It has nothing to do with the product: customs duties, bribes, high rental, transportation costs - everything related to the expensive infrastructure in Russia, naturally, retailers put all this in the price.

If we talk about large retailers, especially monopolists in their markets, there is a desire to keep a high price. But this is not the main factor. The main factors are inflation, unpredictability, high prices for loans, expensive infrastructure. In these conditions, only networks of federal scale feel normally, but small and medium -sized businesses on the verge of survival.

As for corruption, there are numbers in the press that bribes are from 30% to 50% of the price, and in some categories and higher, but for this it is necessary to conduct special research. But the corruption component is on the entire path of the product movement, and it must somehow be compensated to retailers. ”

Vladimir Rusanov, Head of Public Relations and PR X5 Retail Group NV (the largest food retail company in Russia in Russia is Pyaterochka supermarkets, Crossroads, Carousel):

"The cost of the product, its price depends on the cost of the manufacturer, it is 60-70 percent on the price of the product. What the manufacturer lays, if it comes to, for example, the chicken is energy carriers, which are constantly complained by manufacturers, which are also cherished, it is an increase in housing and communal services. This is first of all. This is first. The manufacturer needs to earn a little more, and he paves an execution on the vacation price. The design of the trading halls. This is in populist. "

Dmitry Yanin, economist, Chairman of the Board of Confederation of Consumer Societies:

"High prices in Russia are not related to the breadth of the Russian soul, which, apparently, was spoke of the Minister of Economic Development. Just Russians, unlike Europeans, have fewer choice and fewer offers in the market: there are not enough manufacturers, and the business that works here works in conditions when the project must pay off for the fastest time so that they do not have time to close.

This can be achieved in two ways - to reduce your expenses, or make a large trading margin, laying your entrepreneurial risks in it and a shorter payback period. That's all. As for taxes, they are comparable in our country and even lower than in many European countries. Our prices are exceptionally insufficient competition and the desire of those who work here to quickly pay off in order to leave. ”