Without considering the increases in the prices of fruit and vegetables, which largely still drove food inflation, those that increased the most with increases in December ranging between 6 and 14%, among others, were the sweet cookies (13.75%), the fizzy drinks (+11%) and alcohol (between 6.59% and 11.18%) , the caramel sauce (+8.08%), the water-based cookies ( (+7.66%), the table bread (+7.64%), sunflower oil (+6.67%) and fine salt (+5.81%), according to INDEC records for Capital and GBA.
On the basis of these data, the question of the little or no impact of the program arises. Fair prices or price-conscious on this set of foods, although INDEC considers them when assessing price changes.
It is that “the prices surveyed which fall within the agreement programs between the State and the business sector for the month of December represent the 2.88% of the total prices recorded in Capital and GBA”, clarifies the INDEC. However, in some products, such as biscuits or soft drinks, they represent more than 10%. And the Report adds: “the largest number of products surveyed (of the agreements between the State and the companies) belongs to the “Food and beverages”.
One could argue that without these price deals food inflation would have been higher. It is also true that the prices of the products sold in the Central Market are outside the price agreements. This is why they admit it in Economics “The Central Market is one of the great problems of price agreement”.
For its part, the Ministry of Commerce assures that “data on prices in supermarkets and wholesalers comply by more than 80% with price agreements. Where the incidence is almost zero is in informal channels and this means that these prices are outside the agreed values. The gap between large shopping malls and neighboring businesses continues to grow and this translates into a shift in consumption towards the former”.
However, what contributed to the average index of food and soft drinks in the Metropolitan Region registering at 5.5% It was the lowest price increase of different cuts of meat (shoulder, rump and buttock with increases of less than 2.5% and a decrease of 0.9% of common ground beef) which have a very high incidence in the General Index.
Decidedlythe determining factor of average food inflation continues to be the price of meat because the rest continues with increases as in the worst months of the year. In 2022, Meat and derivatives recorded an increase of 62.4%.
Excluding meat values, the rest of alimony had year-over-year increases in the triple digits: Vegetables, tubers and legumes 174.4%, Fruit 129.1%, Oils, fats and butter 112.1%, Milk, dairy products and eggs 110%, Bread and cereals 108.8% and Sugar, sweets, chocolate, candies, etc. . 104.8%.
In fruit and vegetables, the price increases did not stop and so in December, on average, fruit increased by 10% and vegetables and legumes by 8.9%. In shocking official data, lettuce is up… 130.8%, racking up a 408% increase in 2022 (average price jumped from $151.67 to $770.53 in 12 months). In just one month, oranges increased by 23.4% and apples by 12.7%. That’s why in Economy they focus on the central market.
Source: Clarin
