How to tackle inflationary dynamics in food markets

3.1.2025

Question for written answer  E-000005/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Adnan Dibrani (S&D), Laura Ballarín Cereza (S&D)

We need to act swiftly and firmly to support European families in the current cost-of-living crisis, to ensure that European consumers do not bear the burden of market dysfunction and unfair pricing practices. This will require a true competition watchdog at the EU level, equipped with new tools to tackle structural competition problems and with a clear task to make protecting consumers against unfair and artificially high food prices and combating poor market structures in the European food chain its highest priority.

The Commission has previously recognised, inter alia in the commissioner hearings, that competition enforcement can be a tool to ensure that market operators do not take advantage of shock situations to increase prices above competitive levels or to keep prices artificially high when market circumstances have returned to normal and prices should have gone back down.

• 1.Will the Commission commit to proposing a new competition tool to address structural competition issues in key markets such as the food sector?
• 2.If so, can the Commission commit to using such a tool to investigate and combat inflationary dynamics in the food sector as its highest priority?

Submitted: 3.1.2025