The consumer prices in our country have increased in a year. Prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 1.1 percent, while overhead expenses went up by 1.4 percent, according to the data of the Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
The data for October this year and October last year were compared. It is noticeable that in 12 months the prices of rice increased by 20 fenings per kilogram, flour, sugar and beef prices for 10 fenings each, bananas prices for as much as 50 feningss, and chocolate prices for 90 fening per kilogram. The prices of a cubic meter of wood is higher for 90 fenings, a nursery school prices for 3.40 BAM, and a shampoo price for 60 fenings.
Marin Bago, the president of the Consumer Association ‘’Futura’’ Mostar and a member of the Price Track Record Council within the Ministry of Trade of Federation of BiH, pointed out that the amount of money which BiH citizens need to spend each year on their living is increased by several hundred BAM, while wages remain the same. That is why, as he added, people are forced to give up cultural and sports activities first, and then clothes and hygiene products.
“In BiH, we have the phenomenon of price creep. Things get more expensive each month by a few fenings and then it accumulates at the end of the year. The consumer basket has become a burden because more than two average salaries cannot cover it, and it does not provide any luxury, but the most basic things needed for surviving a month,’’ said Bago.
Ten years ago the situation was different because, then, as Bago says, just over one average wage was enough to satisfy a consumer basket.
‘’Now there are two choices for reaching the consumer basket: an expense waiver or borrowing the money. Things got out of hand. Waiver is a big problem because when you give up extra education for children, culture, or sports, you will damage the children and yourself in the long-term. The kids are growing up, and you will not be able to send them on some trip,’’ Bago said.
He pointed out that the justification of the silent price increases is questionable.
‘’There is extra profit. There needs to be some better control,’’ Bago concluded, radiosarajevo.ba portal reports.
