The Tunisian government promises a year 2026 without new price increases for regulated products. The Minister of Trade and Export Development, Samir Abid, announced, during the presentation of his department’s 2026 budget before the Parliamentary Committee on Industry and Commerce, that increases will be frozen, except in cases of extreme necessity, in order to protect the purchasing power of citizens.
An increasing budget to stabilize prices
The overall budget of the Ministry of Commerce will amount to 4.26 billion dinars in 2026, compared to 3.97 billion in 2025, an increase of nearly 289 million dinars. This envelope, representing 6.7% of the state budget, will mainly be used to strengthen security of supply, stabilize prices and modernize commercial circuits.
The minister specified that temporary ceilings will be introduced for products experiencing excessive increases, and that the government will work with professionals to revise certain profit margins downwards. At the same time, the network of direct producer-to-consumer sales points will be extended to offer households products at preferential prices.
Samir Abid indicated that his department already has a strategic stock covering two months for sensitive products. In 2026, the ministry’s priorities will focus on strengthening strategic storage, reasoned importation and market governance in order to avoid shortages and ensure equitable distribution between regions.
A digital reform of the subsidy system
As part of the reform of the compensation system, the ministry intends to completely digitize the distribution circuits of subsidized products to guarantee traceability and fight against smuggling or diversion.
Strengthened joint controls and harsher sanctions will be applied to offenders.
The ministry will continue the modernization of the commercial fabric, in particular through the upgrading of the slaughterhouses of the Société des Viandes and the extension of the network of the Ellouhoum Company, which will see the creation of five new points of sale per year between 2026 and 2030.
The rehabilitation of the national wholesale market of Bir El Kassâa is also among the priorities of the commercial infrastructure improvement program.
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