Berlin, 8 May 2024 – ‘Doenerinflation’ alarm in Germany: the kebab it became almost a luxury in some cities of the country, costing even more than double compared to two years ago. And politics comes into play: the Chancellor Scholz It has been at the center of controversy for weeks over rising food and rent prices. “It’s incredible that everywhere I go I’m asked, especially by young people, whether there shouldn’t be a ceiling on the price of doener“, he stated. The exchange he had with a young German of Turkish origin during a rally was iconic: “I pay 8 euros, also talk to Putin about itI want to pay 4 euros”, he told the head of government.
Kebab, typical Turkish street food
In 2022the price of the Middle Eastern snack was around 4 eurosWhile Today it’s not unusual to spend some up to 10. Contributing to the increase were the wages and the growth in the cost of utilities electricity and gas. “We have been forced to inflate prices and I don’t see how we can reduce them in the near future – said Deniz, a Turkish restaurateur from Berlin to the Guardian –. People talk about it as if we were making fun of them, but the situation is completely out of control“. In his kiosk, the price of kebab has passed from 3.90 euros to 7 in two years.
A business – that of Turkish street food – which according to what was reported by the British newspaper yields approximately 7 billion euros a year, and which should therefore be regulated more by law. This is the position of the party of left Die Linkewho would like a real ‘kebab welfare’, complete with price capped at 4.90 euros (2.90 for young people from low-income families) and daily vouchers to spend on buying a sandwich.
If the proposal passes, it would cost Berlin’s coffers more or less 4 billion euros a year. There are also other supporters of a measure in this sense the Greensaware of the importance it would have for young Germans: “As representatives of the voters we are obliged to highlight these different perspectives”, commented MP Hanna Steinmueller, quoted by Adnkronos.
However, it is unlikely that the government will commit to controlling costs: Olaf Scholz claims that a price cap is “not feasible” in a market economy. The chancellor, however, underlined the “good work of the European Central Bank” in trying to reduce inflation.
