Italian households are tightening
their belts after a "dramatic" rise in food costs between 2013
and 2014, two consumer associations said Friday.
"The minimum weekly food bill for a family of four is 124
euros, 3% higher than 2013, " said Adusbef and Federconsumatori.
"Unless there is serious intervention aimed at raising
families' purchasing power, a typical household will be forced
to make a drastic spending review this year, cutting its food
outlay by around 376 euros," they said.
Another consumer group, Codacons, said earlier this week
that while Italy's annual rate of inflation remains relatively
low, a small but steady increase is taking an average of 201
euros each year from family budgets.
"This is worrying, especially considering that consumption
continues to fall," which together with lingering weakness in
prices, demonstrates that the Italian economy remains weak, the
group said.
Its statement came as national statistical agency Istat
said that preliminary data showed Italy's annual inflation rate
increased to 0.6% in April from 0.4% in March, the first rise
recorded in 10 months.
The country emerged from its longest postwar recession in
the second half of last year but the recovery is fragile, as the
agency reported that on a monthly measure, inflation was up just
0.2% this month over March.
Looking at a subset of the items included in the overall
inflation measure, estimates showed that the prices of food,
household goods and upkeep, as well as personal items actually
decreased this month by 0.1% compared with March, and grew by
0.4% when measured on an annual basis.
That was a slower annual rise in that subset of goods
compared with the 0.7% annualized gain reported in March, and
the lowest level since August 2010.
The gradual rise in inflation is costing a retired couple
an average of 173 euros per year, said Codacons, while a single
pensioner is losing 111 euros each year due to rising prices.
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