‘The introduction of any strict regulations over how grocery retailers must do business with the regional producers is totally unjustified,’ says Nadezhda Buriko, the spokesperson for Kupets supermarket chain.

‘If customers don’t like their produce, demanding that we sell a certain amount of regionally made foods disadvantages the store, the consumer, and the supplier at the same time. The market tends to get a good deal of self-regulation, and, if there is no demand for such items, you can make the stores sell them, but you can’t make the shoppers buy them. On the other hand, some of the regional producers’ foods are quite popular, so all the grocery retailers would like to cooperate with them,’ Ms Buriko says.

The whole issue originated when the regional legislature held a round table discussion devoted to problems and developmental prospects of food and manufacturing industries; one of the participants suggested making it obligatory for retail grocery stores to sell a certain amount of regionally made foods.