Assoutenti: Food industry hit by €6.4 billion

"Italians have to face a food price blow which, at the same consumption, is worth 6.4 billion of euros per year in terms of increased expenditure for the purchase of food and drinks". Assoutenti calculates it after the data on inflation released today by Istat. "In July, the price lists of food and beverage products non-alcoholic drinks grow by +3.9% on the year, with peaks of +5.1% for unprocessed foods - explains the president Gabriele Melluso - In terms of expenditure, this is equivalent to an increase in +356 euros per year for a family with two children, while if you considers the generality of consumers, the food price hike total reaches 6.4 billion euros in Italy on a annual". "All the most widely consumed food products are recording significant price increases: just think that the prices of Fresh fruit rose by 8.8% year-on-year in July, tomatoes +12.3%, dairy +7%, butter +16.9%, eggs +7.2%, chocolate +13.2%, coffee +23.4% - continues Melluso - A situation that It is worrying because these are primary goods, whose increases impact on the spending capacity of families by eroding the incomes and profoundly changing the eating habits of people Italians. A trend that is worsening month by month, and that will have to lead the government to study ad hoc measures after the summer, when families will be forced to face the costs linked to the return from holidays, starting from those for the school", he concludes.