NewsRescue
The national consumer group Altroconsumo has warned that the living standards of Italian families are deteriorating as food products in supermarkets get more expensive by the week.
Supermarket prices have risen by more than 12% in the last year, pushing Italians to modify their shopping habits and turn to discounters.
According to the group, many customers are buying cheaper food or eliminating particular products from their shopping lists.
“People are seeing constant price increases, and they notice it every week when they go to the supermarket checkout.” Despite this, commercials on television, radio, newspapers, and internet are furiously pumping out promises of reduced costs or varied specials and exceptional discounts to save money,” Altroconsumo explained.
The organization analyzed prices in 1,203 stores and revealed a 12.6% increase in the costs of food products between March 2022 and March 2023. Prices rose by only 2.6% during the previous year, data found.
According to a recent research by the General Confederation of Italian Industry, most Italian families are reducing their grocery spending and prefer to buy cheaper supermarket brands or stick to the essentials.
According to data, households cut their food spending by 8.7% in the fourth quarter of last year compared to the first quarter of 2021.
“Italians are on a forced diet due to skyrocketing inflation, which, after energy products, has mainly affected food products,” said Massimiliano Donna, head of the National Consumer Union (UNC).
According to the UNC, food costs increased by 11% year on year in August, while the cost of a “consumer basket” increased by 10.2%.