According to the latest available statistical data, consumer prices in Bosnia and Herzegovina increased by an average of 4.8 percent in July this year compared to the same month last year, which is forcing many citizens to change their spending habits.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages have increased in price by an average of 10.8 percent.
“The rise in food prices is changing spending habits every day, and a significant number of families live on the brink of poverty and are not able to purchase all the food products they used to buy before or are not able to buy them to the same extent as before,” said Gordana Bulić, president of the Consumers’ Club of the Tuzla Canton, in an interview with Fena news agency.
The real purchasing power of citizens is declining, so many, as Bulić says, have to give up certain foods or save in a way that was not necessary before.
According to her, families with multiple children and pensioners are among the most vulnerable categories because it is increasingly difficult for them to afford basic groceries. This is especially true of meat, which used to be purchased in larger quantities, while today many have to give it up or buy it in smaller quantities.
“Savings and rational spending are good, but the problem is that a large number of families are not able to purchase certain food products in the quantities they need and in the quantities they are used to,” said Bulić.
She emphasizes that BiH citizens still throw away large amounts of food, more due to bad habits than necessary.
When that food is not consumed, says Bulić, it ends up in containers, which in addition to financial damage creates additional problems, such as the appearance of rodents in cities.
The Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina recently adopted a proposal to amend the Decision on prescribing a measure of direct price control by setting the highest price level for certain products, which extends its validity until December 31, 2025. Bulić points out that the Consumers’ Association of TK is a member of the working groups for locked prices, and that a check of locked prices for 65 food products and hygiene products is currently being prepared, and how much savings there are for citizens.
“Our estimate is that the savings are around 60-70 BAM for a family of four over the course of a month. Of course, for someone who earns four to five thousand marks a month, that doesn’t mean much, but for a pensioner family, 60-70 BAM is not insignificant, because that’s how much bread alone costs on a monthly basis. That’s a significant saving for them,” says Bulić.
He believes that when shopping, citizens should pay attention to the lists of locked products that supermarkets display, because these are the most frequently purchased items and are not of poorer quality. As an example, he cites edible sunflower oil, which costs 3.15 BAM with a locked price, and notes that the choice of that oil affects the prices of other types of edible sunflower oil.
“Thus, many retailers, i.e. manufacturers and distributors, will make an effort to lower the price of these products, in order to increase or preserve their market position,” concluded Gordana Bulić, president of the Association of Consumers’ Clubs of TK, in an interview with Fena.
