Shopping, in this period, is becoming an increasingly difficult task. Easter just passed brought with it a real shock for Italian families, with the prices of numerous food products recording significant increases compared to last year. The situation is photographed by Assoutenti, who analyzed the inflation data released by Istat, and the picture that emerges is not the most comforting.
On average, food products show an increase of 2.8% on an annual basis, with peaks of 4.7% for unprocessed ones. But for some categories of food the increases are much more marked, and you just need to set foot in the market or supermarket to notice it.
The foods that cost the most
Among the products that weigh the most on the wallet, beef stands out with an increase of 8.4% on an annual basis, while sheep meat marks a +7.2%. Eggs, among the most versatile and everyday ingredients of Italian cuisine, increase in price by 8.5%.
Fruit and vegetables fare no better. Lemons cost 10.8% more than a year ago, strawberries 10.4%. Among vegetables, tomatoes recorded a +9%, courgettes exceeded 11%, while aubergines recorded the most dramatic increase of all: a good 21.5% more. Peas, whether fresh or canned, increased by 19.6%.
Making the month of April even more bitter was Easter eggs and chocolate-based products, which this year cost on average 6.4% more than the previous Easter. A small luxury that is increasingly less accessible, in short.
Here is the list of products that have increased the most, according to estimates:
Blame the high cost of fuel
According to Assoutenti, one of the main causes of these increases is the escalation of fuel prices, aggravated by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. More expensive diesel and petrol translate directly into higher transport costs, especially for fresh products which travel hundreds of kilometers by road before arriving on the shelves, as explained by the president of Assoutenti Gabriele Melluso, who asks the government to extend the cut in excise duties on petrol and diesel until the end of the emergency, while at the same time monitoring any speculation or anomalous price list trends.
There are also warning signs outside the shopping cart. Domestic flights, for example, increased by 12.6% and accommodation services recorded a +4%.
What can we do?
Faced with these price increases, adopting a few small daily strategies can help contain the damage. Preferring seasonal and zero kilometer products, often less exposed to transport costs, is a choice that is good for both the wallet and the environment. Buying directly from local producers, in local markets or through solidarity purchasing groups, can make the difference.
And planning your weekly shopping carefully, reducing waste, remains one of the most effective tools to avoid being overwhelmed by the wave of rising prices.
