Kitt Warns Retailers on Meat Prices

Consumer Minister Tom Kitt laid down the gauntlet to supermarket chiefs to reduce the price of meat on their shelves to reflect the historically low prices being paid to farmers.

He did this over a two day series of meetings and discussions with representatives of Tesco, Dunnes, Musgraves, Superquinn and RGDATA.

"Quite frankly I made it clear that the Government was particularly concerned about unnecessarily high meat prices on supermarket shelves. The huge reductions in the prices paid to farmers were generally not being passed on to the extent that they should. Profiteering at any point in the supply chain - either at retail level or at the processing stage -is wholly unacceptable to the Government. Significant price reductions would not only benefit hard pressed consumers but would have a positive impact on controlling inflation," the Minister said.

Leaving the final meeting this evening with Dunnes Stores, Minster Kitt said that those retailers who had not passed on farm gate price reductions "must do so without any further delay."

"Multiples must move quickly to restore consumer confidence in the value they are getting for meat and demonstrate clearly that they are pushing prices down."

The Minister recognised that the supermarket chiefs had stated that prices had come down to some extent. The Minister said he would be monitoring the evolving situation "very closely" to see "tangible proof" that prices were on the way down. Minister Kitt acknowledged the statistics provided by the various retailers, but he warned "What the customer is entitled to is consistent and lasting reductions in prices in this current environment."

Speaking after the meeting the Minister would not be drawn on what further action he contemplated at this stage. "A range of measures is available to me." He confirmed, however, that he would be raising the question of the role of the processing sector with his colleague the Minister for Agriculture.