The prices of basic foodstuffs in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) have risen significantly in the past months, which is worrying citizens who believe that the economic situation is increasingly difficult and uncertain, according to the Anadolu Agency (AA).
As official data from the Federal Ministry of Trade show, consumer prices in August 2021, on average, increased by 0.3 percent compared to the previous month.
When observed by sections of the Classification of Personal Consumption by Purpose, prices increased in the sections: furniture, household appliances, and regular housekeeping by 1.1 percent, transportation by 0.7 percent, food and non-alcoholic beverages by 0.5 percent, and recreation and culture for 0.1 percent.
Prices decreased in the following sections: clothing and footwear by 0.3 percent, alcoholic beverages, and tobacco by 0.2 percent, housing, water, electricity, gas, and other energy sources, as well as other goods and services by 0.1 percent each. In other sections, prices did not change on average.
Lejla Causevic Suceska from the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of BiH told that the statistical data clearly show that in BiH there has been a continuous increase in the prices of food items from 12 to 15 percent.
“The objective factor is that BiH is one of the countries that is heavily dependent on imports of some raw materials. We are also a small country and cannot influence world price movements. Unfortunately, prices have increased due to the coronavirus pandemic and thus products and transport to BiH from larger countries have increased, so all of that influenced the formation of prices in BiH, ” pointed out Causevic Suceska.
Some retail chains took advantage of coronavirus pandemic
However, the increase in food prices was also influenced by some subjective factors.
“Some retail chains took advantage of this time of the pandemic, so they purposely and continuously increased the prices of items from month to month. The fact is that for 50 BAM today you can, unfortunately, buy less than you could buy at the beginning of the pandemic,” explained Causevic Suceska.
Citizens severely affected by the price growth of basic foodstuffs
Citizens especially point out that they have been feeling the consequences of price growth of foodstuffs for a long time, and pensioners are especially worried and complain because, as they say, it is becoming increasingly difficult to cover living costs with already low monthly pensions.
Price growth in BiH conditioned by global economic developments
Economist Admir Cavalic believes that the increase of prices in BiH is directly conditioned by global economic developments.
He noted that many BiH citizens are severely affected by the price growth of basic foodstuffs, Federalna writes.
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