Price Cuts on 1,000 Products Offer Little Relief from Soaring Costs

Greece’s latest authorities inaugural to tackle inflation — a database of 1,000 consumer goods with reduced prices — is being met with skepticism. Despite being promoted arsenic a alleviation measure, experts accidental it amounts to a “drop successful the ocean” for households already strained by soaring surviving costs.

The plan, expected to beryllium unveiled astir October 15, calls connected suppliers and supermarkets to voluntarily trim prices by 6% to 24% connected prime items. Products acceptable to beryllium included scope from pasta, bread, and dairy to detergents and idiosyncratic attraction goods. Yet, cardinal essentials such arsenic meat, caller fruit, and vegetables — the items astir affected by terms hikes — are notably missing.

According to Apostolos Raftopoulos, caput of Greece’s Consumer Workers’ Union, the lack of these staples undermines the initiative’s impact. “The champions of ostentation — beef, coffee, fish, caller effect and vegetables — are not included,” helium said.

A Nation Struggling to Make Ends Meet

A caller survey by the Athens Chamber of Tradesmen, conducted with probe steadfast MRB, paints a grim picture: six successful ten households cannot screen monthly expenses, with incomes lasting lone astir 20 days. Price increases successful food, rent, electricity, and covering proceed to outpace wage growth, forcing galore to chopped backmost connected basal needs.

Further information from Greece’s Institute of Small Enterprises shows that 72% of citizens person reduced spending connected non-essential goods arsenic household and nutrient costs soar. For much than 60% of households, expenses connected utilities and groceries person risen sharply successful the past year.

Families Turn to Food Programs arsenic Hunger Rises

The cost-of-living situation is taking a visible toll — particularly connected children. The Prolepsis Institute, which runs the nationwide “DIATROFI” schoolhouse nutrient program, has received 1,700 caller applications from schools across the state within days, representing astir 146,000 students successful request of regular meals.

“The numbers are already higher than the total applications we received passim the full erstwhile schoolhouse year,” said Afroditi Veloudaki, the institute’s wide director.