Alternativa Crna Gora (ACG) has called on citizens to participate in a general boycott of megastores on Friday, February 7, and Saturday, February 8, as announced on their Facebook page.
They claim that “prices in megastores are skyrocketing” and that salary increases are not being reflected in consumers’ pockets.
“Every day, we witness unprecedented price hikes of essential products while the owners of large chains accumulate profits at the expense of the people. It’s time to say enough,” stated ACG.
They have urged citizens to avoid large supermarkets on these two days and, if necessary, to shop at small local stores instead.
“Support those who stand with us, not those who are robbing us. This is the voice of the people. If we don’t stop this outrage, tomorrow we will be paying gold for bread,” said ACG, urging people to share their post.
Two days ago, the Tax Administration published that the sales of the five largest retail chains in Montenegro were 56.14% lower last Friday, when the boycott was first organized, compared to the week before, January 24. The largest response to ACG’s initiative was in the northern region, where sales were down by 61.4%, in the central region by 57.89%, and in the southern region by 52.2%. Last Friday, sales in these five chains amounted to €1.22 million, compared to €2.79 million on January 24. A total of 130,000 receipts were issued, which is 102,000 fewer than on January 24.
Zarija Pavićević from ACG previously told Pobjeda that they were satisfied with the public’s response and happy that people have finally united on the issue of economic status. He stated that their goal was not to reduce the profits of these companies but to send a message that they expect to be taken seriously. He also mentioned that the two-day boycott was still just a warning, and the next step could be a call for a boycott of the most expensive retail chain or of meat and dairy products due to their limited shelf life. Pavićević distanced himself from calls circulating on certain social media profiles to boycott a particular retail chain for seven days.
“I ask for patience, as I would also love for things to succeed quickly, but it’s not that simple. I appeal to citizens to follow ACG’s guidelines, as we cannot make hasty decisions,” Pavićević said.
