FLASH NEWS
Albanians, mired in poverty, turn to cheap goods
2025-03-16 08:44:53 / EKONOMI&SOCIALE
In the period January-February 2025, according to supermarket managers, food distributors and processors, demand for grocery basket products is higher compared to the same period of the previous year.
But both food importers and manufacturers are in a "war" to offer the cheapest prices possible, as the consumer's approach is towards careful spending, even orienting themselves towards products with cheaper prices.
Elona Koshi, CEO of the "Big Market" supermarket chain, told "Monitor" that during the period January-February 2025, demand for basic basket products has undergone moderate fluctuations compared to the same period last year.
In general, although consumption has decreased in value, the increase in the number of products sold, according to Ms. Koshi, suggests continued consumption, but with a more cautious approach on the part of buyers.
“In January, the grocery category saw a 5.4% decline in value, while the number of items sold increased by 5.2%, indicating a shift in consumers towards lower-priced products or more fragmented purchases. A similar trend was observed in the counter sector, with a 1.3% decline in value, but a small increase in the number of items sold by 0.5%.
In the first 15 days of February, this trend continued with a slight decrease in value in the food category (-2.5%) and a further increase in the number of products sold (+4.6%).
"This indicates an attempt by consumers to optimize their budget, perhaps by choosing more economical products or taking advantage of offers," she asserts.
Ms. Koshi emphasizes that the main reason for the movement in consumption is the impact of inflation on purchasing power, which is directing family consumers towards cheaper products for spending.
“1. The impact of inflation and purchasing power – Consumers may be more careful in spending by moving towards cheaper products within the same category.
2. Promotions and pricing strategies – The increase in the number of products sold indicates that buyers are exploring more alternatives, perhaps due to the different offers at Big Market.
3. Seasonal changes and consumption trends – The post-holiday period may have contributed to the decrease in purchases in January, while the stabilization in February reflects a return to normal consumption rates.
Imports of pasta and rice increase
The amount of pasta and rice imports for 2024 increased compared to the previous year. According to Customs data, a total of 22.4 thousand tons of rice were imported in 2024.
Krahasuar me 2023, sasia e importit u rrit me 24%. Viti 2025 nisi me rënie importesh për këtë produkt. Për muajin janar, importet e orizit u ulën me 9% krahasuar me muajin janar 2024.
Në vitin 2024 ka pasur rritje edhe për importin e makaronave. Sasia e importit arriti në 18,4 mijë tonë, apo 7% më tepër se në 2023. Rritja e importeve vijoi edhe në 2025. Në muajin janar 2025, importet e makaronave rezultojnë me rritje 31% në raport me janarin e 2024-s.
Eleni Babameto, drejtuese e kompanisë “Teuta”, paketues dhe distributor i produkteve ushqimore, tha se gjatë 2024-s është shënuar rritje për shitjet e produkteve kryesore të shportës, përfshirë orizin, vajin e lulediellit, makaronat, sheqerin krahasuar me 2023.
Zonja Babameto pohon se te rritja e kërkesës kanë ndikuar investimet në rritje të kompanisë për menaxhimin e shpërndarjes së produkteve, por edhe sezoni turistik. Ajo thotë se për këto produkte nuk ka pasur rritje të çmimit të shitjeve.
Për sa i përket rënies së kërkesës, kryesisht tek orizi, drejtuesja e kompanisë “Teuta” tha se lidhet me tendencën e furnizimeve familjare, të cilat janë më të larta në periudhën e fundvitit sesa në muajt janar – shkurt.
Importet e 2024-s për grupin “Vajra dhe dhjamëra kafshore apo vegjetale”, sipas të dhënave të INSTAT, u rritën me 18% krahasuar me 2023. Në muajin janar 2025, importet e grupit u rritën 8.2% krahasuar me janar 2024.
Importuesit dhe ambalazhuesit e vajit të lulediellit pohojnë se për muajin janar-shkurt, ecuria e shitjeve është e njëjtë me të njëjtën periudhë të vitit të kaluar.
Ylli Aliaj, nga kompania paketuese e vajit “Bomira”, tha se rënia e popullsisë dhe emigracioni po ndikojnë në ngadalësimin e rritjes së kërkesës. Importuesit sivjet presin gjithashtu rritje të çmimit të vajit të lulediellit në tregjet e huaja.
Vjet, ardhja e turistëve në muajt e verës ndryshoi tërësisht konsumin për vajin e lulediellit. Deri në fillim të muajit qershor 2023, importuesit pohonin se shitjet ishin rreth 40% më të ulëta se vjet, për shkak të emigracionit dhe mbiprodhimit të vajit të ullirit.
Faktor tjetër që ka ndikuar te përmirësimi i kërkesës për këtë produkt është edhe ulja e çmimit, ku prej dy vitesh në treg janë stabilizuar çmimet me shumicë për këtë produkt. Vaji i lulediellit po tregtohet me shumicë me çmim nën 200 lekë për litër (150 deri në 180 lekë për litër).
Rënia e çmimit të vajit të lulediellit nisi në muajin qershor 2022, periudhë në të cilën filloi të importohet vaji nga depozitat e Ukrainës drejt vendeve kufitare, pasi transporti detar ishte i bllokuar nga lufta.
Në muajin korrik 2022, çmimi i vajit u ul me 24% krahasuar me çmimin e shitjes pas luftës.
Pas fillimit të luftës Rusi-Ukrainë dhe vështirësive të krijuara në importin e vajit të lulediellit, çmimet në tregun shqiptar u rritën me rreth 33%. Në muajin mars 2022, çmimi i vajit të lulediellit u tregtua 330 lekë për litër, nga 249 lekë për litër në muajin shkurt (32,5% rritje).
After this period, the price increased by about 9% and reached 370 lek per liter, while in mid-April, the retail price of oil peaked at 400 lek per liter.
An increase was also noted for imports of the group "Soap, cleaning preparations, lubricants, candles", according to INSTAT data, which increased by 15.3% in 2024 compared to the previous year.
For the month of January 2025, the group's imports increased by 1.3% compared to January 2024.
Importers of laundry detergents said there has been an increase in sales of family-sized products, driven by the increase in the number of tourists staying in daily rental apartments.
For the year 2024, according to Customs data, a quantity of 204 thousand tons of wheat was imported. Compared to 2023, the quantity of wheat imports increased by 6.4%. For the month of January 2025, wheat imports decreased by 7% compared to January 2024.
The amount of corn imported in 2024 was about 93 thousand tons. Compared to 2023, imports increased by 36%. There was also an increase in corn imports in 2025.
For the month of January, the amount of imports increased by about 61% compared to January 2024.
The Chairman of the Flour Processors Association, Adi Haxhiymeri, previously claimed that the upward trend in imports for 2024 was not driven by increased demand, but by measures taken by flour factories to create reserves for the winter-spring period, as the price level of wheat for the new harvests had not yet been predicted.
According to him, wheat import wholesalers made maximum use of grain storage in order to prevent losses from possible price changes after the July harvest.
Mr. Haxhiymeri said that the highest decline in consumption in 2024 was in the months of February, March and the end of the year. “Sales from October to the end of the year have not been good.
"There is no demand, as there are no people in the villages at all, but the cities are also weak. The hopes are that consumption will increase somewhat with tourism, as it is thought that the balance of those who leave for the long term or on vacation with those who come will be in favor of the latter," he said.
In 2024, after the end of the tourist season, concerns about the decline in demand for bread and pastries were also raised by the leaders of some of the main bakeries in the country.
According to them, last October, the decline in demand for pastry and confectionery products was 20% compared to the previous year, except for sales of fast food products that did not decrease.
Hysen Caka, manager of one of the bakeries in Tirana, claims that the downward trend in demand continued during January-February 2025, entirely due to demographic changes in the population.
Mr. Caka claims that the decline in consumption of pastry and confectionery products is higher than in January-February 2024. He said that the arrival of tourists improves consumption only during the summer months, due to longer stays./ Monitor
-
-
Polenta with ham and sauce
March 16, 08:22
Pse Aleanca Madhështore përfundoi në Foltore 2
Nga Namir Lapardhaja
ideas
Erion Veliaj, editor-in-chief from the cell
Nga Andi Descartes
Political theater with the SP and DP lists
Nga Roland Lami
top
Alfa recipes
services
- POLICE129
- STREET POLICE126
- AMBULANCE112
- FIREFIGHTER128