The ‘rally’ in food prices and inflation, which The “extra cost” that families pay per year for the shopping cart has risen to 924 euros on average, requires the government to take additional measures to support households. It is the message launched by the consumer associations, Facua-Consumers in Action and the OCU. The data published this Tuesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), food prices became more expensive overall by 16.6% last month, at a rate never seen before in the statistical series.
Specifically and through a statement, the OCU claims to “urgently and substantially increase the amount of aid of 200 euros for vulnerable households, as well as the number of beneficiaries”, while requesting the extension of VAT to 0% to meat and fish.
“This last climb puts a large number of basic products at prices that are difficult for many households to bear“, according to the OCU, which has pointed out, among the consequences, the cut in fresh products (meat, fish, fruit and vegetables), which are replaced by frozen food due to the difficulties to make ends meet.
For his part, the general secretary of Facua, Rubén Sánchez, told EFE that the CPI data proves that Government measures to lower VAT are “absolutely insufficient” because “they are not being fulfilled” and “huge increases” in the cost of some foods have not been cut. Facua has verified “a very high percentage of products” in which increases have been applied despite the fact that prices “should be frozen”, according to Sánchez.
In his opinion, the Government should control non-compliance with the VAT drop and apply sanctions, in addition to implementing new measures such as “intervention” to put limits on basic foods. In addition, given the cut in the purchasing power of citizens and the increases in variable mortgages due to the escalation that the Euribor had maintained until the end of last week (which has been cut short as a result of the crisis of the US bank SVB), Sánchez has demanded that the Government “intervene” in that market so that there are cuts in the differentials on the Euribor and “freeze” them so that they cannot be apply increases from certain dates in 2022.
As reported by the INE, the rise in annual inflation in February to 6% has been significantly influenced by the increase in the cost of legumes, vegetables and meat, as well as the fact that fish and shellfish have reduced their prices. prices less than last year. In the second month of the year milk (33.1%), eggs (28%) and cheese (21.4%) also rose strongly, although they did so less than just one year ago. Specifically, legumes and vegetables became 23.6% more expensive in relation to the same month last year, and fresh fruit also cost more (+5.6%), due to the occasional reduction in supply that has occurred both in Spain as in other EU countries due to more unfavorable weather conditions.
