International flights grew by 132.3% compared to pre-crisis prices, gas by 50.2%, electricity by 39.5%. The National Consumers Union has processed the Istat inflation data for May released on 31 May to draw up not only the traditional top ten of monthly and annual price increases, but also the ranking of the greatest price increases compared to the pre-crisis period, i.e. compared in mid-2021, before inflation started to take off.
In recent years, various products have alternated at the head of the trend increases. For example, olive oil has continuously led the annual increases from September 2023 to today, but before that, from April 2023 to August 2023, it was the turn of sugar, before that there were national flights, electricity of the free market and so on.
The ranking
But which of these many products, after various ups and downs, wins the ranking in these 3 years of astronomical increases? Compared to May 2021, international flights took off by 132.3%, while the silver medal goes to olive oil which has almost doubled in price in 3 years (+93.5%). On the lowest step of the podium are domestic flights with +55.1%. In fourth place sugar (+51.6%), then gas (+50.2%), rice (+45.1%), in seventh place potatoes (+43.3%), then motel hotels and pensions (+41.5%) and electricity (+39.5%). Ice cream closes the top ten with +37.8%.
Also noteworthy are margarine (11th place, +37.6%), national holiday packages (12th, +36.9%), preserved milk (14th, +34.1%), butter (16th, +33 .6%), pasta (22nd, +27.3%). Closing the ranking: flour (29th, +24.6%), eggs and bread (30th, both at +24.5%).
Dona: «We no longer talk about bread, eggs and flour, their price increases are 25%»
«This study shows us that, even if inflation is now low, +0.8% in May, and some products have disappeared from the price increase radar for months or are even decreasing in price, such as pasta, their prices are still unsustainable. Even though we haven’t talked about bread, eggs and flour for months, their prices, compared to normal times, are around 25 percent. Gas and electricity, far from the peaks of the fourth quarter of 2022, still cost, respectively, 50.2 and 39.5% more compared to the price paid before the speculations”, explains Massimiliano Dona, president of the National Consumers Union.
The annual top ten
However, as regards the traditional annual top ten, olive oil remains in first place with an increase of 44.9% over May 2023. In second place are national holiday packages with +20.4%, a figure which it certainly doesn’t bode well for the next summer holidays. Bronze medal for media with sound, image and video recordings with +15.8%. Closing the top ten are hotels, motels, guesthouses and the like which cost 7.8% more than last Spring.
The monthly top ten
Fresh fruit tops the monthly top ten, increasing by 6.2% in just one month. Silver medal for text binding and e-book download services with +5.9%. In third place are hotels, motels, guesthouses and similar with +5.3% compared to April 2024.
