PKS: Only 39 percent of Food in Retail Chains Is from Slovakia

Bratislava, May 3 (TASR) – According to research by GfK Slovakia that was commissioned by the Slovak Food Chamber (PKS), only 39 percent of the food on the shelves of retail chains in Slovakia actually comes from domestic sources, a year-on-year decrease of 1 percentage point, TASR learnt on Tuesday.

The research was carried out at 360 branches of seven retail chains around Slovakia between March 1-23.

Food producers warn that the share of domestic food products has dropped from 50 percent to 39 percent over the past six years. “There hasn’t been a single year that has seen some degree of stabilisation or, God forbid, an increase,” said PKS president Daniel Poturnay.

Milk was the most frequently found domestic food product (56 percent), followed by table water (55 percent), wine (52 percent) and beer and spirits (51 percent).

Conversely, the least frequently found domestic food products were cooking oil and non-chocolate confectionery (both 12 percent), followed by canned products (15 percent) and chocolate (21 percent).

With respect to individual chains, the largest share of domestic food products was recorded at COOP Jednota (60 percent), followed by CBA (54 percent), Tesco (43 percent) and Kaufland (35 percent). Lidl was at the bottom of the list on 16 percent.

PKS is convinced that this declining trend needs to be halted. It’s called on the current leadership of the Agriculture and Regional Development Ministry to start supporting domestic food products. PKS thinks that domestically produced food will have a difficult time without the ministry’s support.