"Only it seems that 10% is negligible." A pensioner on how to save on products with a discount program

Since January 17, many retail chains in Belarus have launched a 10% discount program for vulnerable segments of the population. We found out who can count on it, and calculated how much we can save for one trip to the store buying the usual set of products.

The appearance of a discount of 10% became possible thanks to an agreement that was signed on January 12 between the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade and 16 largest retail chains in the country: including Euroopt, Vitalur, Sosedi, Belcoopsoyuz, Santa , Belmarket, Hippo, Dobronom, Almi, Korona, Prostor, Green and DorORS. This list is expected to expand.

"We are implementing such an agreement for the first time. This is the general approach of the state and business to support vulnerable categories of the population. Recently, food prices have increased, the situation in January shows that this process continues. There are many factors. The population needs to be helped to cope with this, so we decided that Vulnerable categories of the population will receive a 10% discount on socially important goods," said Alexei Bogdanov, Minister of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade, during the signing of the agreement.

Pensioners, families with many children, recipients of state targeted social assistance in the form of monthly social benefits, disabled people and families with disabled children can count on it. There are 29 positions in the list of products for which the discount is provided. Including flour, barley, bread, beef, pork, chickens, milk , kefir, sour cream, cottage cheese, eggs. From vegetables and fruits - potatoes, carrots, beets, onions, fresh white cabbage and apples. From groceries - granulated sugar, as well as cereals, canned meat and fruit for children and diet food.

Since large retail chains voluntarily participate in the agreement, the general mechanism for obtaining discounts has not been determined. Each network has decided this issue on its own.

"To receive a discount, the buyer must fill out an application for assigning his activated Santa card the status of "Social" in the store and present a document confirming that he belongs to a socially vulnerable category of the population," the press service of Santa Retail LLC noted. - The discount is provided after presenting a discount card when paying at the checkout. In case of disputes, the cashier has the right to request from the buyer a document confirming belonging to a socially vulnerable category of the population. "

They also explained that the final cost of the goods will be reflected in the cash receipt. It is important to note that promotional discounts do not apply.

The Vitalur network went a little further. In its stores, close relatives of those who received it, as well as social workers, can take advantage of a 10% discount - after presenting a supporting document.

We decided to calculate how much you can save for one trip to the store. Taking the basket, we head straight to the bakery department. The list of goods with a 10% discount includes rye and rye-wheat bread, as well as a long loaf of wheat flour of the highest and first grade. Therefore, our first purchases are half of the sliced ​​Vodar for 0.85 kopecks and the Appetizing loaf for 1 ruble 48 kopecks.

In the dairy products department, we meet 68-year-old Elena Ivanovna. She already knows that from January 17 there will be a discount on food in stores - she heard on TV.

“But I also had to figure out what goods. My granddaughter helped, told me. It only seems that 10% is insignificant. And if you calculate it in a month, you can save a lot,” the pensioner notes and, having approved our first purchases, she agrees participate in the experiment.

In the dairy department, a standard set for the elderly: milk or kefir, sour cream, cottage cheese.

We choose milk with 2.5% fat content - 1.75 rubles per 900 ml, 20% sour cream - 1.30 rubles per 180 g and cottage cheese with 5% fat content - 1.21 rubles per 180 g. We send a dozen eggs to the basket, and this is another plus of 2.26 rubles.

“In the grocery department, we need flour. Pancakes for grandchildren have not been canceled,” Elena Ivanovna smiles. “For a ruble and 25 kopecks, we take a kilo of premium wheat. And a kilogram of sugar for 1.72 rubles.”

In the meat department, I liked the weighty carcass of a broiler chicken - 9.14 rubles per one and a half kilograms. Elena Ivanovna bought potatoes, carrots and beets at autumn fairs. But cabbage and apples need to be taken.

“Now everything in stores is much more expensive than in the fall with farmers. Potatoes have definitely doubled in price. We always try to buy vegetables for the whole winter,” she says. “But cabbage and apples are perishable products, unlike the same beets, and we have nowhere to store them.”

We choose a larger head of cabbage - almost 2 kilos. It costs 4.78 rubles. Plus another one and a half rubles per kilogram of apples.

“With the exception of flour and sugar, this set of products is unlikely to be enough for my husband and me for a week. I think that in 2-3 days I will have to go to the store again, for dairy products for sure,” says Elena Ivanovna and heads towards the cash registers. I wonder how much I can save on this discount?

At the sight of the elderly woman, the cashier immediately perked up. "From the beginning of the week, there is a 10% social discount, including for people of retirement age. Please present your pension certificate," we heard a well-learned phrase from a store employee. "In addition, you can fill out an application in our information center, and your bonus the card will be assigned the status "Social". The discount will go on it."

The total total amount purchased by Elena Ivanovna amounted to 27.2 rubles. Taking into account the discount - 24.5 rubles. Savings - 2.7 rubles.

“For this money, you can buy another dozen eggs,” the pensioner smiles. “And if you calculate how many in a month, then you get quite a good amount.”

The monthly amount of purchases from a cardholder with a 10% discount should not exceed the subsistence minimum budget - now it is 288.01 Belarusian rubles. That is, with the help of the program on the purchase of socially significant goods, it will be possible to save up to 29 rubles per month in each retail chain. In addition, if the amount of the discount for a certain product is higher than the trade markup for it, then it will be provided in the amount of the trade markup. The social discount will last until July 17, 2022.

Marina VALAKH,

newspaper.