Faced with price inflation, the Russians are more careful about the cost of their basket

A supermarket in Moscow (Illustrative image).

© ALEXANDER NEMENOV / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

Russia is not immune to rising inflation.

The general price level could have increased by 8% in 2021. An increase of 11% for food products.

So many Russians pay more attention to what they buy, when they don't give up on certain products.

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From our correspondent in Moscow

,

Jean-Didier Revoin

As the New Year approaches, supermarkets are crowded.

But this year, many Russians are spending more time on the shelves than usual.

They are trying to find the right deals.

This is the case of Elena, 51 years old.

" 

We try to see if there are promotions, and we buy these products

 ," she says.  

At 47, Olga doesn't know which products have increased the most.

But she felt the

effects of inflation

 : “ 

When you go to the supermarket and you know that for a given amount, you could buy something to eat.

Now, for the same amount, it is not possible to buy the same assortment of products, which you could buy before.

 "

20-30% increase in commodities

This feeling is confirmed by the chief economist of Alfabank in Moscow, Natalia Orlova: “ 

We have the general inflation rate in Russia, which is 8%, but we also have food inflation which is around 11%. .

In the food basket, there are basic products that have increased by 20 to 30%.

 "

This is particularly the case of cabbage, which has taken 30% in one year.

And for Oxana, 53, this has concrete repercussions.

“ 

I can buy the basic products.

But unfortunately, good products that are fun like cheese, good fish, good meat, I can no longer afford them as before.

 "

Resigned, the most modest Russians have no choice.

Even if the government takes measures in the future to strengthen their purchasing power, they know they will be insufficient.

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