Digital Platform Targets Speculation, Enhances Oversight

Algeria's Ministry of Internal Trade has initiated a comprehensive set of measures designed to stabilize market prices and combat speculation, acting on directives issued by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. A new unified digital platform has been launched to proactively detect abnormal price increases and analyze market data upstream, allowing for interventions before potential crises escalate. This strategic shift underscores a commitment to enhancing market transparency and protecting consumer purchasing power.

Central to these efforts are new regulations, including a system of capping profit margins for widely consumed products such as legumes, meats, and vegetables, aimed at curbing abuses by intermediaries. The government is also strengthening mandatory invoicing, particularly for agricultural products, to establish clear traceability of goods from farmers to final consumers and limit fraud. Additionally, a regulatory framework is being developed to reorganize the activities of market intermediaries, while control services have identified approximately 17 billion dinars in undeclared business activity related to invoicing evasion. Citizens will also gain access to digital applications for reporting unjustified price hikes, promoting public engagement in market oversight.

These proactive measures leverage digitalization as a cornerstone for effective market management, moving beyond reactive price monitoring to understanding price formation and anticipating imbalances. Economist Abdelkader Berriche emphasized that such mechanisms are vital for establishing a more organized and transparent market, directly impacting citizens' purchasing power and ensuring food security. The ongoing inter-ministerial coordination and daily market surveillance aim to create a sustainable framework for price stability and ensure product availability across the nation.