Assoutenti, the war makes prices skyrocket, courgettes +31% in October

Not just energy. The war in the Middle East is affecting the retail prices of a multitude of products, to the point that for some goods the prices are now doubled compared to the same period last year.

The alarm comes from Assoutenti who analyzed the latest Istat data on inflation to understand which sectors are most penalized by the ongoing crisis.

Among the goods that are suffering the heaviest price increases are those linked to technology: the prices of recording media (CDs, DVDs, etc.) are rising more than double on an annual basis, marking a +107.8%, while accessories such as hard disks, USB sticks and memory cards are increasing by 41.1%; computers, laptops and tablets increase in price by 29.5% - explains Assoutenti.

Another sore point is that relating to food: the prices of fruit vegetables, i.e. tomatoes, courgettes and pumpkins, aubergines, peppers and cucumbers rise in October by almost 31% on an annual basis, strawberries, blueberries and berries by 29.3%, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, chicory, salad by 13%, legumes by 11.7%, onions, carrots and garlic by 11.1%. The list continues with eggs (+7.3%), potatoes (+7.2%), fruit (+4.3%), meat (+4.2%).

As regards energy products, gas increased in price in October by +56.8% on the protected market compared to the same period last year, +35.7% on the free market, while electricity rose by +60.2% on the protected market, +32% on the free market; heating oil, on the other hand, recorded a +45.6% year-on-year. Cascade effects also on the transport sector: prices of international flights grow by +9.1%, those of courier and parcel delivery services by +8%, ferry fares by +5.4%, bus and coach fares by +3.1%.

"There is no sector that is not feeling the effects of the war, and retail prices are growing from month to month with deleterious consequences on families - explains President Gabriele Melluso - In many cases such as food, energy and transport, these are primary items that consumers cannot give up, and in these sectors the increases are weighing like a ton on incomes and spending capacity. Italy is quickly returning to the values of the 2022 crisis, and we expect the government act quickly."