Photo from open sources, illustrative in nature

Domestic goods will become more abundant on store shelves, but imports will also be sold on equal footing. This was stated to journalists by First Deputy Minister of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade Natalia Vasilevskaya, commenting on the introduction of a new norm in trade.

The Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade has decided to temporarily introduce a norm regarding the presence of Belarusian products in the trade assortment. This is codified in the MART resolution dated August 20, 2026, No. 48. The document will enter into force 15 days after its official publication, i.e., from September 10.

«In my view, there will be no major changes for retail outlets. I am confident that even today the mandatory assortment list that has been brought to our retail outlets is largely supplied by Belarusian products. This is especially true for food. All of us enter a store and see an abundance of domestic cheese, dairy, sausage, and confectionery products. The mandatory list contains a minimum number of product items that must be stocked on the shelf. Beyond that, both the retail chain and a small rural shop determine their own assortment policy. If foreign-made goods are in demand, they will be placed next to Belarusian goods and sold on equal terms. Therefore, retail chains should not encounter any problems,» said Natalia Vasilevskaya.

She noted that when forming the list, it was also taken into account whether domestic producers could supply the required number of varieties. «If these are critical import goods that are produced in Belarus in insufficient quantities, there is a note that this list may also be complied with using foreign goods,» the first deputy minister remarked.

Natalia Vasilevskaya noted that there is administrative liability, but the fines are small. And if a violation of the assortment list is found for the first time, the business entity will be limited to a warning. «There is no point in aiming to fine or punish someone. The goal is to showcase our Belarusian goods on the shelves. I hope the share of domestic goods will increase this year,» she emphasized.

The First Deputy Minister assured that there is no need to fear a narrowing of assortment. “The mandatory assortment list is the minimum range of goods that must be on the shelf in a store in accordance with its format and sales area. This will result in domestic goods being represented in greater quantity for our consumers. At the same time, no one currently limits a seller from having a broader range of foreign goods when there is demand for them. In short, Belarusian goods will be presented on shelves not instead of, but alongside imports,” she said, also clarifying that the assortment lists do not apply to pharmacies, branded and discount stores.

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