The Valencian government has stuck a deal with large regional supermarkets to provide discounted shopping vouchers to low-income households across local communities.
Although agreed in principle, further discussions are planned for this week between the regional government and the supermarket association, but President Ximo Puig is believed to be keen to see measures put in place. The majority of the subsidy will be covered by the government, but supermarket will be able to decide if they want to support the scheme. Though specifics have not been divulged there are suggestions that the bonus could be worth 30e. Ximo Puig recently explained that he believed food inflation is a “serious problem for a fifth of families in the region who are on low incomes”.
He said he realised that it was also a question of ‘finding the right fit’ without negatively affecting producers or small businesses. Supermarket bosses are nervous of the commitment and the president of the Association of Supermarkets told Spanish media that although “we are willing to do everything possible to help disadvantaged families, but we are already selling all of our products at the lowest possible prices.”
He said that the main culprit with rising prices lay with the increase in the cost of raw materials, which he predicts will start to reduce naturally, lowering food prices after the summer.
Consumes have already been reaping the benefits of the IVA tax reductions introduced by the national Spanish government on some food stuffs. It is hoped the regional discount vouchers will bring more support to those families that need it most across the Costa Blanca.