In a Real flap

The National Poultry Council (KRD) is accusing hypermarket chain Real of dumping practices on its poultry products. According to KRD's general director Leszek Kawski, the cost of processing a chicken for consumption is around zł.4.2. He estimates that Real buys the meat for zł.3.4-3.5 and then sells it for zł.2.99 per kilogram. "This is clearly a dumping practice," Kawski said.

KRD's director said that other super- and hypermarket chains are exerting pressure on suppliers to lower their prices, claiming that Real's price policy is forcing them to do so.

Kawski is worried that this lowering of prices could lead to a crisis in the Polish poultry market. He estimates that price dumping could cost the industry around zł.3 million per day. It may also have a negative effect on demand. "Selling meat almost for free might convince the customers that there indeed is something wrong with poultry," he explained. "This is very unethical especially at these hard times for the industry."

Real replied in an official communique that "KRD's accusations are a huge surprise." The company also underlined that since autumn it has been taking part in awareness campaigns promoting Polish poultry and informing customers about its safety.