Record inflation, steady increases in energy and food prices. The practical consequences of the war in Ukraine directly affect the daily shopping of the Germans.
“Everything has become more expensive. Fortunately I live alone and I still manage, I now buy the necessities. I do not know what families with children do,” a retired German woman outside a busy supermarket told DW. “Last year we paid about 100 euros for a week of shopping, now no less than 150. Huge price differences. Yes, we are directly affected by the increase in prices,” says a young father loaded with shopping, mainly dairy, bread, potatoes.
This trend was confirmed by an employee of the same German supermarket chain: “Increases are recorded in all products. The case of sunflower oil is the most extreme. I notice that consumers no longer do mass shopping, they just buy what they need.” As for whether the Germans are in a hurry to “stock” food, the supermarket clerk states that in no case are there queues and panic. They do buy basic items but in moderation, “little by little”.
Inflation record since the First Gulf War
The practical consequences of the war in Ukraine are now being experienced by the Germans in their daily lives, with inflation and increases in energy and food prices constantly rising month by month.
According to the latest data from the German Statistical Office a few days ago, inflation is moving at + 7.4%, an increasing trend is recorded every month, which is due to the increase in energy and food prices. Energy prices, therefore, have increased by 35.3% compared to April 2022, while food prices by an average of 8.6%. A typical example is given by the ZDF TV network: in order to fry a chicken fillet, one has to pay 27% more for meat than last year and 12% more for oil.
It is worth noting that the last time such a high inflation rate was recorded was in 1981 in what was then West Germany, when fossil fuel prices had also risen sharply as a result of the First Gulf War.
Today, however, in addition to the war in Ukraine, there are still problems in the supply chains due to the pandemic, which exacerbates the problem. However, the German government is closely monitoring the issue of rising food prices and is even considering possible relief for low-income people and possibly family benefits, according to an interview with Home Secretary Nancy Fezer in the newspaper Die Zeit.
Dimitra Kyranoudi, Berlin
Source: Deutsche Welle
Source: Capital
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