Marcos Iriarte Valencia
Valencia
Updated Tuesday, March 12, 2024-12:16
Juan Roig
surprised last year, during the presentation of
Mercadona
results , with his sincerity in the face of a difficult year hit by inflation and the war in Ukraine: "We have raised prices a lot," he said.
And this year, the message has gone in just the opposite direction.
Roig has highlighted the price reductions in about 1,000 products that the company has carried out in the last year (in April 2023 and February 2024) and believes that prices will tend to moderate this year: "Raw materials are falling , although it always costs more to lower prices than to raise them.
"We have increased chocolates, pastas, olive oil and rice. But because raw materials have decreased," said Roig.
This year's trend is downward, he said, which "will help."
The businessman appeared this Tuesday to present the Group's historic results: Mercadona closed 2023 with
a record profit of 1,009 million, 40% more
than last year, with a historic tax contribution (+%) and the creation of 5,000 new jobs of work between Spain and Portugal (3,200 and 1,800, respectively).
Mercadona has achieved two great milestones this year: it has started to make money in the online channel, which already represents 2% of the group's total turnover;
and in Portugal, where it arrived 4 years ago, and this year it has gone into the black
,
reaching an 8% market share.
In Spain, Mercadona has consolidated itself as the undisputed leader of supermarkets, with a share of 27.6% (+0.6%) and has invoiced 35,527 million, 15% more than last year. 1,400 million in Portugal.
"Is having benefits good or bad? It is reviled, but having benefits is a very, very good thing. But this is like eating. It is good, it is essential, but if your main objective in life is to eat, that is not healthy "We believe that the worker, the supplier, society and the shareholder must be paid very well," said Roig.