December hunger threshold announced following minimum wage hike: It is already left behind

According to the December 2025 hunger and poverty threshold research by the Birleşik Kamu-İş Confederation's R&D unit, KAMU-AR,themonthly expenditure required for a family of four to have a balanced and healthy dietrose to 30,655 liras.Thus, the hunger thresholdshowed a total increase of 7,399 liras throughout 2025.The poverty threshold,meanwhile, reached 94,913 liras with the increases in non-food expenditures.The poverty threshold increased by 1,216 liras in December and by 23,865 liras throughout the entire year of 2025.MINIMUM

WAGE REMAINS BELOW THE HUNGER THRESHOLDThe 2025 minimum wage, which was 22,104 liras net,

remained 8,551 liras below the hunger threshold. The new net minimum wage, determined with a 27 percent increase for 2026,

was set at 28,075 liras.However, this figure also remains 2,580 liras below the hunger threshold as of December 2025. The report stated,“The minimum wage needed to be increased by at least 40 percent to reach the hunger threshold.”IT DOES NOT LAST FOR 9 DAYSThe current minimum wage can only cover the nutritional needs of a family of four for 21 days, while the one to be paid in 2026 can only cover them for 27 days.It can only cover one-fourth of the poverty threshold.“For four people in the family, the minimumwage...............

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... ........................ even the income brought into the household by working forminimum wage remains 6,497 liras below the poverty threshold,” the assessment stated. The total of three minimum wagescannot even exceed the poverty threshold.

The lowest pension, which was applied as 16,881 liras in the second half of this year,canonlycoveronly 16 daysoffood expenses. With current inflation, it is projected that this figure could rise to 19,000 liras atthe beginning of 2026. The lowestcivil servant salaryis 50,534 liras, whichcan only cover 53 percent of the poverty threshold. The average civil servant salarycorresponds to60 percent.The reportstates that these rates would need to be increased by at least 87.8 percent and 65.6 percent, respectively, to reach the poverty threshold.In December 2025, the total food expenditure required for a balanced diet reached 30,655 liras.Of this amount, 9,711 liras consisted of meat, fish, and eggs; 6,624 liras of milk, yogurt, and cheese; 3,550 liras of vegetables; 2,962 liras of fruit; and 2,486 liras of bread, flour, and pasta expenses.

In particular,sugar, honey, molasses, and jamexpenses increased by 148 liras on a monthly basis, rising to 2,365 liras.Regardingnon-food items, the monthly expenditure of a family of four was 64,258 liras as of December 2025. Housing expenses rose to 18,990 liras, transportation expenses to 17,571 liras, and household goods expenses to 7,339 liras.When clothing, health, communication, education, and vacation expenses are also included, the total non-food expenditure reached 64,258 liras.placeholderplaceholder

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