The Consumer Rights Association held a press release at the Consumer Rights Association Headquarters on the last year's average price increase in basic foods and its reflection on consumers.
Turhan Çakar, President of the Consumer Rights Association, said that the average increase in 40 basic foods for the last year is 190 percent, and that more than 60 percent of consumers are below the hunger limit.
The vast majority of consumers do not have access to the most basic foods, they cannot be fed.
“CONSUMERS HAVE TO BUY ONION BY NUMBERS”
Çakar said that there is a high cost of food in Turkey and that the average price increase of 40 basic foods between March 2022 and March 2023 in the last one year was 190 percent, referring to the research conducted by the association.
"Our research shows that during the history of the Republic in the last century, such a high annual average price increase and cost in basic foods has not been observed. The most interesting thing about the annual average price increase of foods is the annual average price increase of 659 percent for onions, which is the most essential ingredient of cookware. In this case, consumers had to buy onions not by weight, but by grain. Dried onions have now become one of the most expensive staple foods of consumers. In the face of this high cost, the majority of consumers cannot access the most basic foods, and they do not have a sufficient and balanced diet. Consumers, who have been unable to access meat and dairy products and milk and dairy products for a long time, are now left without access to sufficient vegetables and fruits," Çakar said.
"98 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION IS BELOW THE HUNGER AND POVERTY LINE"
In the last part of his speech, Çakar pointed out that as of March 2023, when the monthly hunger and poverty statistics of a 4-person household are compared, taking into account the annual average household incomes, 60.4 percent of the population in Turkey lives below the hunger limit.
"It is seen that 37.6 percent of the population, that is, 32 million 150 thousand people, live below the poverty line. In short, 98 percent of the population, that is, 83 million 750 thousand people, live below the hunger and poverty line," Çakar added.
"THE MAIN PROBLEM IS POLICIES"
Çakar also said that the low-income citizen is confused and helpless.
"The reason for high food prices is the wrong food, agriculture, marketing and price policies against consumers living under the poverty line. Therefore, food, agriculture, marketing and price policies should be changed in favor of the overwhelming majority of low-income consumers to ensure consumers' access to basic foods. Arrangements should be made urgently to provide free meals to students in public schools. Families with financial difficulties should be provided with necessary and sufficient financial support. However, wage and employment policies and all necessary economic and social policies should be implemented in a way that will increase the purchasing power of consumers and provide access to basic foods," he stated.