Daniel Gheba (AUR): Romanian entrepreneurs are losing the battle to the big retailers

Deputy Daniel Gheba (AUR) states that Romanian entrepreneurs are losing the battle to the big retailers.

• “I want to bring to the attention of public opinion a serious problem faced by many Romanian entrepreneurs, starting from the case of Irina Filip, the owner of an ice cream factory in Teleorman, namely: the disdain of retail companies towards Romanian entrepreneurs.

Irina Filip built a modern ice cream factory in Nanov commune, Teleorman, Cream Land with hard efforts. This business produces industrial desserts of the highest quality, made exclusively from natural ingredients, with fresh milk and without any additives, known as Cremola ice cream. Consumers appreciate this ice cream in search of domestic products without Es, preservatives and dyes.

However, Irina Filip and other Romanian entrepreneurs face a major problem: the difficulty of promoting their products in front of large retailers. According to the entrepreneur’s statement, seven out of ten large commercial networks removed or did not receive Teleorman’s ice cream. The reason? Excessive logistics requirements and minimum orders imposed by these retailers.

I consider it unacceptable that local producers are treated this way, because Romania needs a strong economy, based on entrepreneurship and innovation, and Romanian entrepreneurs deserve support and priority from the big retail companies.

In this sense, I urge the big retailers to communicate openly and have a dialogue with the Romanian producers. Logistical requirements and working conditions should be reasonable and fair.

Retailers should also pay special attention to domestic products and be flexible about minimum orders. We cannot prevent the development of local businesses through excessive restrictions because they add value to our economy and support local communities.

Last but not least, there is an urgent need for support from the government: The government must support domestic producers through favorable tax policies for small Romanian entrepreneurs and protect them against the big retail chains. Also, the Committee for the Investigation of Abuses, Combating Corruption and Petitions in the Senate must analyze the case of the owner of Cream Land and properly assess this situation. Romania deserves a prosperous economy, and our entrepreneurs are the engine of this development”, says Daniel Gheba.