Unimpresa warns that the real emergency lies in food prices and essential services
A misleading slowdown
The inflation slowdown recorded by Istat in August (1.6%) is, according to Unimpresa, nothing more than a “statistical illusion.” The decrease comes mainly from regulated energy prices, especially gas, which have little impact during summer months.
The rising cost of the shopping cart
The food sector tells a different story: prices are up 3.8% year-on-year. Unprocessed products climb 5.6%. Some essentials hit double-digit increases: butter +15.1%, fresh fruit +8.8% (peaches and nectarines +14.8%), beef +6.8%, cheese and dairy +6.6%, eggs +7%, tomatoes +13.6%.
Core inflation still high
“Core” inflation, excluding energy and fresh food, stands at 2.1%, confirming persistent upward pressures that could intensify with autumn consumption.
Tourism and services also weigh
Tourism and leisure services also show sharp increases: domestic flights +23.5%, holiday packages +10.4%, ferries +7.8%, restaurants and pizzerias +3–3.6%.
Back-to-school burden
The so-called “school costs” add further weight: school supplies +4.8%, textbooks +3.8%.
Two-speed inflation
The overall scenario is one of two-speed inflation: regulated goods cooling down, essential goods and services racing ahead, eroding households’ purchasing power and squeezing consumption.
Unimpresa’s call
Vice president Cosimo Callisto stresses that economic policy must focus not on celebrating an apparent decline, but on targeted actions to limit essential price increases.