Greek society, consumers and salaried employees are amazed as food inflation and the consumer price index skyrocketed in Greece climbing in December 5,1% from 4,8% on November affecting the prices of most products and services
Society, consumers, and salaried employees are watching in amazement the new increase in inflation in our country, which reached 5.1% in December, from 4.8% in November, affected the prices of the majority of products and services.
The price rally, as shown by the December data of the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), is led by the increase in December and on an annual basis the increase of 19.7% in lamb and goat meat, 14.2% in potatoes, 7, 6% in pasta, 6.6% in poultry and meat preparations, 6.7% in fresh fish, while even bread rose in price by 4.9%.
On the other hand, basic consumer needs are now covered with great difficulty by average households since the annual price changes in the month of December are enormous: 45% in electricity, 135.7% in natural gas, 34.1% in heating oil, 21 .7% in fuels and lubricants etc.
The world of work and consumers are in despair, having reduced both food and living needs to the minimum, in the middle of winter and with very cold temperatures expected. And all this at a time when the workers in our country are asked to face all the above price increases, with a percentage increase of only 2% in the minimum wage, i.e. €13 gross per month.
This marginal increase in the minimum wage from 1.1.2022, does not improve economic and social stability and development. Does not improve living conditions and of course does not reduce the insecurity of households due to the lack of a substantial possibility to cover their basic consumer needs.
The Consumer Workers’ Union of GSEE has been flooded with messages from consumers complaining for the severe inflationary price increase The inability of the Greek State to curtail the exorbitant price increases in basic goods and services, as well as the absence of any control mechanism to deal with the phenomena of profiteering or cheating the consumer public, exacerbates the problem and the consumer despair.
It is necessary the government to take immediate measures to regulate the market, while substantially supporting the income of the worker-consumers. The substantial increase in the minimum wage can lead to a mitigation of the consequences of inflation, while it becomes imperative here and now to reduce the excise tax on energy which the EEKE has requested many times in the past.
At the same time, actions must be taken to help the impoverished part of society (which is constantly increasing), through subsidizing expenses (electricity, heating oil, rent, etc.) so that the average consumer, who is unable to respond in the rising costs , can emerge unscathed from the current gloomy situation of January 2022.