Inflation slowing down to +10% in January thanks to the drop in energy prices. The shopping cart is still 12% higher

In January inflation it slowed down again but again remaining in double digits: +10% on an annual basis, from +11.6 the previous month. The preliminary estimate was +10.1%. L’State underlines that there was a “net slowdown” which “is affected by the performance of the plus components volatile of the consumer price index, strongly conditioned by the trend reversal of Regulated energy goods (-12% on an annual basis)”. But if energy prices have cooled down, the prices of other goods and services – in particular “processed food, other goods (durable and non-durable) and housing services” – continue to soar. With the result that the core component of inflation – that excluding energy and fresh food – accelerates further. The rise of the so-called shopping carti.e. the basket of food goods, for home and personal care, fell to +12% from +12.6% in the previous month, but the dynamics of products with a high frequency of purchase accentuated (from +8, 5% to +8.9%).

The most marked inflation is recorded in January in Islands (+11.7%, a slight slowdown from +13.9% in December), follows the Nord-Ovest (+10%, from +11.4% in the previous month). Rates lower than the national average are instead recorded in the South (+9.9%, from +11.7%), in the North-East (+9.7%, from +11.5%) and in the Center (+9, 6%, from +11.0%). Istat communicates it, releasing the final data on consumer prices in January. In the capitals of the regions and of the autonomous provinces and in the municipalities that are not regional capitals with more than 150,000 inhabitants, Istat still indicates, the highest inflation is observed in Catania (+12,6%), Genova (+11,8%) e Palermo (+11.7%), while the lowest trend changes are recorded in Aosta (+7.6%) and, lastly, in Potenza (+7.5%). It is above the national average Milano (+10.8%), below Roma (+8,9%).

“Great news. Effect gas on the fall in inflation”, comments theNational Consumer Union. According to which “the cutting system charges and the reduction of VAT on gas at 5% also for the second quarter of 2023. The reduction of bills, in fact, is essential to continue to control prices. The inflation emergency is far from resolved. The cost of living remains unaffordable. For a couple with two children, 10% inflation means a sting of 3,167 euros on an annual basis, 969 of which just for eating and drinking. For a couple with a child, the additional annual expense is equal to 2,931 euros, 875 for food and drinks. On average for a family, the increase is 2,514 euros. The primacy always belongs to large families with more than 3 children with a scoppola equal to 3558 euros, 1157 only for food products “, concludes the president Maximilian Dona.

Per Federconsumatori “in the light of this situation, government intervention for the implementation of policies to support income and purchasing power of families, especially those with lower spending power. Provisions that must focus above all on the fight against high energy costs: starting from the suspension of detachments due to arrearsfrom the prediction of a guarantee for the long installment of billsfrom the establishment of a Fund against energy poverty and by the containment of the cost of fuels which strongly affect the determination of the prices of goods and services”. Resources? “Through the enhancement of the fight against speculative phenomena, tax evasion and avoidancewhile providing for an increase in the tax on extra profits (not only in the energy field) e yield financial”.