Against the background of the erosion of purchasing power, patisseries reduce the production of cakes during the Easter holidays. 10% lower prices this year

Confectioners will put 7.2 million cakes on the market during the Easter holidays, down compared to the same period last year, but also compared to the winter holidays, against the background of the erosion of the purchasing power of the population, although the prices of some producers have were also reduced by 10% this year.

“We estimate that we will eat slightly less cozonacs than last year and than during the winter holidays and not because of the prices, which really brought down the cozonacs. We want to offer now 7.2 million cozonacs, compared to 7, 5 million last year, because we noticed from the supermarkets that their orders were also a bit smaller, and then we are sure to orient ourselves with the production, so as not to make a mistake. As I said, the reduction in supply is not because of the price, because that there are some producers, even the big ones, who have reduced prices by 10%, I think it’s because of purchasing power, but I think it’s a good thing, because food waste must be less and less then people buy more thoughtfully, more thoughtfully. I have noticed this: people prefer to buy a smaller but good cake than a large and less good cake”, said the president of the Romanian Milling, Bakery and Flour Products Industry Association – ROMPAN , Aurel Popescu, for Agerpres.

From the point of view of the assortment of cakes, Popescu stated that the pastry chefs come with an extremely rich offer, and the fillings are “with everything”, i.e. with oranges, cream, chocolate or pistachio, but the classic cakes with walnut remain the most sought after , with raisins and shit.

He emphasized that the export also maintained its trend from the past years, about 10% of the cozonacs produced during this period reaching outside the country’s borders, in the areas where Romanians live.

“Approximately 10% of production is exported, and I think it’s a good thing. If I were in government, I would give an export premium. Money is given for carrots, tomatoes, garlic, cows, Mangalitsa pig, practically for everything, but not for processing. Nothing is given here and we are angry. Processing is between the supermarkets, who want low prices, and it is practically caught in a vise,” emphasized the head of ROMPAN.

According to the cited source, pastry chefs work “continuously” to enter the market during this period and with pascha, the product specific to the Easter holidays.

“We have a very good pasca, with cheese or chocolate, but the traditional one with cheese and cream is the most sought after. Now, in the last days, the demand is increasing a lot and because the pasca has a short shelf life, we work day and night , on a continuous fire. Our Easter offer is about 15-20% of the quantity of cozonac”, added the representative of the Milling and Bakery Industry.

Regarding the cakes that are not sold and are approaching their expiration date, Aurel Popescu mentioned that currently these products are no longer destroyed but are given to organizations that distribute them further to social centers.

“Now nothing is destroyed anymore, and with the new law on food waste, they are given to some organizations that collect them and distribute them further. We used to go to children’s homes, to the elderly, to people with disabilities and we distributed the buns. And now we delivered a lot of buns. We gave the bread and buns an expiration date to make sure that nothing happens, but it can be consumed in two weeks, explained the president of ROMPAN. Aurel Popescu.

ROMPAN is the first association established in Romania in 1990 and includes over 200 companies from all areas of the industry, the market share being over 60% in milling, 40% in baking, 70% in pasta and 55% in biscuits.