The government, representatives of the largest retailers and manufacturers will gather with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Gorki near Moscow to discuss the work of retail chains with suppliers, the Kommersant newspaper reports , citing a source familiar with the preparations for the meeting and the prime minister’s press secretary Natalya Timakova on Thursday , 11th of March.

The authorities decided to hold a meeting of this level due to the sharp deterioration of relations between retail chains and manufacturers during the crisis. The publication notes that the negotiations could give rise to reform of the entire retail trade market.

According to the newspaper, the government may, in particular, prepare its own amendments to the law “On Trade”, limiting fines for suppliers and defining deadlines for payment for supplied products. In order to expand competition in retail, it is proposed to pay attention to the development of markets and fairs.

But before that, according to one of the meeting participants, Medvedev will listen to the arguments of the parties and invite the businessmen to come to an agreement within six months, RBC writes .

The publication clarifies that First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, Presidential Aide Andrei Belousov, Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, Head of the Ministry of Economic Development Alexey Ulyukaev, and Minister of Agriculture Nikolai Fedorov have been invited to the negotiations. From retailers, the main owner and general director of Magnit, Sergei Galitsky, and the head of the Association of Retail Companies and President of Dixie, Ilya Yakubson, were invited; from producers, the head of the executive committee of the National Meat Association, Sergei Yushin, vice-president of the Roust holding, Igor Kosarev, and head of Soyuzmolok. Andrey Danilenko and others.

Food prices in Russia in 2014, according to Rosstat, rose by 16.7%. The Prosecutor General's Office came to retail chains across the country with inspections, after which more than 400 cases of administrative offenses were initiated in Moscow alone. Later, some retailers froze prices on 20 socially important products for two months.

Medvedev will discuss prices and competition with retailers and manufacturers