Two of Montenegro’s four largest retail chains have sent domestic food producers written notices rejecting wholesale price increases, as proposed wage rises and higher production costs threaten manufacturers’ margins. Representatives of food manufacturers said the restrictions could undermine the commercial viability of domestic dairy, bakery and meat producers.
A third large retailer reportedly communicated similar restrictions verbally. One foreign-owned supermarket operator asked suppliers to keep existing procurement prices unchanged until 30 April 2027. Separately, a retail chain introduced procedures requiring suppliers to justify proposed wholesale increases and secure written approval before applying revised prices; the information does not establish whether this is the same operator.
The dispute overlaps with negotiations over the proposed Euro Model, which could set the minimum monthly wage for workers with secondary qualifications at 1,250 euros. Manufacturers’ representatives said wages in some parts of their sectors currently range from approximately 800 to 1,000 euros. Based on those levels, the proposed minimum could raise labour costs by approximately 25–56% for affected positions, before any possible tax reductions are taken into account.
Some producers estimate that retail prices might need to increase by 13–20% to preserve current economic margins. That figure is an industry estimate, not an independent assessment of costs. Manufacturers argue that rejecting all price adjustments could leave smaller domestic producers carrying a disproportionate share of rising costs while they negotiate with retailers that have greater purchasing power.
Retailers may be seeking to protect consumers from inflation or manage the effects of proposed future limits on trading margins. The disagreement centres on how pricing power is divided between food manufacturers and large supermarket chains, and on whether suppliers can recover higher costs through wholesale prices.
Claims that individual chains have already raised large numbers of retail prices have not been independently established. The correspondence over procurement prices does not by itself establish an infringement of competition or commercial law. The dispute could affect manufacturers’ ability to maintain production and employment, the competitiveness of imported products and the extent to which wage-related costs reach consumers.
A sustainable settlement is described as depending on transparent cost calculations and contractual negotiations, as well as the final design of the government’s wage and retail-pricing reforms. Those decisions remain relevant to how producers and retailers address proposed price changes.
