The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO) announced the products whose retail prices changed in Istanbul in September. Prices rose for 207 of 336 main products, while declines were recorded in 43. The highest increases were seen in private university tuition fees at 55.21%, private high school fees at 50.51%, private primary school fees at 48.72%, school uniforms at 26.7% and children’s trousers at 24.3%. Eggplant rose by 22.85%, fuel by 20.66% and blankets by 14.69%. The largest declines were recorded in plums at 28.32%, grapes at 23.45%, vehicle rental fees at 22.98%, çarliston peppers at 20.81%, pointed peppers at 20.8% and dry onions at 18.76%.
Why it matters
The data show that the pressure affecting household budgets in Istanbul is not limited to daily food shopping, and that education expenses also carried significant weight in the September picture. Increases in private school and university fees are of direct importance to families assessing the cost of their education choices. The rise in fuel prices is an item to monitor in terms of expenses linked to transportation and freight. By contrast, declines in the prices of some fruits, vegetables and services indicate that not all product groups moved in the same direction during the same period. However, these data alone do not explain the situation outside Istanbul or whether the price movements are permanent.