During an intervention on national radio this Wednesday, November 26, Lotfi Riahi, president of the Tunisian Organization for Consumer Orientation, proposed the establishment of regulated prices for olive oil.
He recommends prices ranging from 9 to 10 dinars, and 6 dinars for average quality. He also denounced soaring prices and speculative practices fueled by “planned social engineering”.
Differentiated pricing proposal
Lotfi Riahi called for setting accessible prices for olive oil, an emblematic and commonly consumed product in Tunisia. He pleads for prices regulated between 9 and 10 dinars for superior categories and 6 dinars for average qualities.
At the same time, he calls for the establishment of a clear ceiling for profit margins, believing that the current increases reflect neither real costs nor consumer interest. He particularly pointed out the increase observed in several sectors, citing that of clothing as an example.
Denunciation of industrial practices
The president of the Organization denounced the use of subsidized raw materials then resold at unregulated prices, describing these practices as harmful and contrary to economic fairness.
He spoke of a broader phenomenon: the rise of digital social engineering, which he sees as a form of subtle manipulation influencing citizen behavior. According to him, certain price surges are the result of a planned strategy favoring speculation and weakening consumers’ purchasing capacity.
Inflationary pressures
The issue of commodity prices remains sensitive in a context marked by the erosion of purchasing power, the irregularity of supply, and often opaque distribution channels.
Olive oil, despite significant national production, regularly experiences contested price increases. Consumers are demanding more transparency, while industry players cite costs, exports and harvest variations.
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