How do people see the market, not as economists, but as those who interact with it every day? We discuss this with Rūta Vainienė, head of the Lithuanian Trade Enterprises Association.

From the 1990s euphoria, when “everything became possible” and the spirit of entrepreneurship was born, to today’s worries about prices, Vainienė invites us to rethink the market — so that it feels easier to navigate and inspires more self-confidence. She explains this not through formulas, but by showing how goods are really bought and sold, how supply chains affect prices, why regulations sometimes make even water more expensive, and how our own expectations shape our experience in the store. Vainienė helps us see price not as an enemy, but as a living relationship in which we can act more confidently, calmly, and boldly.

She reminds us: the market is not a “central committee” plan — it is full of randomness, unintended consequences, and individual decisions. Money allows exchange with strangers, expands our opportunities, and creates freedom of choice. And a better experience in the market starts with responsibility — of buyers and sellers, and of policymakers who make the rules. Responsibility cannot be learned in theory — it comes with duties, says Rūta.

Listen to this episode dedicated to LFMI’s 35th anniversary! In this celebratory conversation about the human side of the market, former LFMI president and the institute’s first employee, now head of the Lithuanian Trade Enterprises Association, Rūta Vainienė, talks with LFMI president Elena Leontjeva.