Rising petrol prices will lead to increasing costs for basic products and commodities despite fuel price freeze, market players have warned Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Kommersant business daily reported.
Gasoline retail prices were fixed until the end of 2018 following Dmitry Medvedev‘s instruction. In these circumstances, oil producers are making attempts to earn money at least from wholesale customers and corporate clients – that is, from transport or trading companies. This, in turn, may ultimately affect customers and push the prices up. Oil producers lament that they have to work receiving no profits, and say that they want to earn money.
The related organizations, such as National Union of Transport and Logistics Experts, Association of Retailing Companies, and Rusprodsoyuz association of food products producers and suppliers, have addressed Medvedev asking him to discuss the situation with fuel companies.
They also warned that prices for transport services may increase by 10% and more, which will lead to a surge in commodity prices.
Following the freezing of retail fuel prices, oil producers began toughening terms of work with corporate clients: they introduced service fees and cancelled discounts. The situation is aggravated by canceling the transport tax concession for payers who use the Platon electronic toll collection system, and increasing the value added tax to 20%.