On January 1, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration, Arman Shakkaliyev, visited several major retail chains in the capital. The goal was simple and very practical - to see what is happening with prices and product availability right after the holidays, DKNews.kz reports.
The minister checked stores of Small, Magnum and Anvar, walked through the aisles and looked at how shelves were stocked and how the price tags changed compared to the pre-holiday period.
Stores opened at 10:00 that morning. Shakkaliyev was among the first visitors and focused on three key points: price stability, product availability and variety on the shelves.
What the minister said
According to Arman Shakkaliyev, the situation in supermarkets remains calm.
He noted that the January 1 monitoring was carried out on purpose - authorities wanted to make sure there was no sudden price jump, shortage or empty shelves after the New Year rush.
Retail chains, he added, continue to offer discounts and promotions, and the shelves remain fully stocked.
What retailers were asked to do
During meetings with representatives of retail chains, the minister emphasized several priorities:
- keep prices stable
- avoid unjustified price increases
- strictly monitor markups on socially important food products
These are the basic everyday goods that matter most for families, low-income households and pensioners.
Monitoring across the regions
Similar inspections are now being carried out across the regions as well. Local trade departments and consumer protection authorities are working together with regional akimats.
According to the ministry, prices for socially important food products have remained stable for the past six weeks. Authorities say the task now is to keep this trend, while preventing unreasonable price spikes.
