YOU CAN stop worrying about a sunflower-oil shortage and the knock-on effect of biscuits, cakes and the like disappearing from the shelves – national supermarket chain Mercadona's founder and CEO Juan Roig has assured there are 'no supply problems'.
Shops limiting sunflower oil to five litres per customer is due to panic-buying causing immediate stocks to deplete, not a supply shortage - but leading consumer group FACUA says this restriction, practised by a number of supermarkets, is illegal (photo: Mercadona)
Although the store has placed a cap on how much people can buy – five litres, meaning for the average household, they will have plenty in stock for a while even if they eat fry-ups daily – Roig likens this to 'the toilet-paper effect' of lockdown 2020.
Back then, rumours of a loo-roll shortage led to members of the public filling their trolleys with this bathroom staple and, naturally, the big gaps on shelves that result merely fuel widespread concerns and heighten the panic-buying frenzy.
The same is happening with sunflower oil and, to a lesser extent, olive oil and flour, due to worries that the Russian invasion of Ukraine will halt production of sunflower-farming in the latter country and dry up supply elsewhere in the world.
“Mercadona is a very strong, solid chain and there are not going to be any supply problems,” assures Roig.
“The reason we're having to restrict cooking-oil sales is because of people stockpiling – nothing else.
“We've got plenty of it available, and if everyone stopped panic-buying, we'd have more than enough to go around.”
Roig also slammed speculators, who have been attempting to buy sunflower oil in bulk from supermarkets and then sell it on at inflated prices, using the shortage rumours to convince buyers.
He said the same thing happened with lavatory paper and, later, flour, during lockdown two years ago.
Actually, restricting sunflower oil purchases is illegal, says FACUA
Meanwhile, though, one of Spain's major consumer organisations, FACUA, has warned that supermarkets restricting sunflower oil sales – and many others have done so, not just Mercadona – may in fact be illegal, and has announced plans to intervene at regional government level.
“In accordance with Article 9.2 of Law 7/1996 of January 15, concerning Retail Organisation, traders may not limit the quantity of items acquired per buyer, nor establish higher prices, nor invalidate price reductions or promotional offers when purchasing more than a set amount of the product,” FACUA says.
“In the event that an establishment open to the public does not have sufficient stock to cover demand, said stock should be sold on a priority basis.”
That said, FACUA coincides with Mercadona in urging consumers to stop stockpiling, as this is contributing to shops running out of existing supplies.
Mercadona boss condemns Ukraine conflict
Roig has also strongly condemned the invasion of Ukraine, saying that in today's world, in the 2020s, 'we ought to be able to solve things another way' rather than through armed conflict.
He expressed his solidarity with the Ukrainian people and its 'great' president, who was 'risking his life' by 'showing his face'.
Spain has already reportedly taken in over 1,000 Ukrainian refugees, and is working on the basis of about 12,000 entering the country, all of whom will be given automatic residence for at least one and up to three years, but fully expects the predicted numbers to rise.
A recent presidential meeting with all regional government leaders and national government representatives took place in the Canarian island of La Palma, where each president was asked to present an inventory of 'available resources'.
This would tell the national government how many Ukrainian refugees Spain could take in immediately and where they could most easily be resettled, and reveal any gaps in resources needed to take in more of those fleeing the conflict, so authorities could work out where extra funding, housing, healthcare, education and other essentials were required.
