Same product, massive price gap! Turkey's prices soar far above Germany's

Food and basic consumer goods have been among the areas where high inflation is felt most severely in Turkey. The fact that prices for some imported products on supermarket shelves in Turkey significantly exceed their retail prices in Germany has brought the debate over purchasing power back to the agenda.

According to the latest data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK), annual inflation is at 32.11 percent, while food inflation stands at 35.45 percent. With this rate, it is noted that Turkey ranks high in food inflation, following Venezuela and Iran.

According to a report by Nefes, one of the striking examples of this price gap is the US-origin Philadelphia cream cheese. While the product is sold for 5.55 Euros per kilogram at the Penny supermarket in Germany, its price at a chain supermarket in Turkey has reached the 62 Euro level. Thus, an approximately 11-fold difference has emerged between the two countries for the same imported product.

PRODUCTS ARE CHEAPER IN GERMANY

A similar picture is seen in other products. While the 1-kilogram price of Nutella, produced by the Italian company Ferrero, is 5.55 Euros on Kaufland shelves in Germany, the price of the same product in Turkey reaches 8.54 Euros.

Prices in Turkey are also higher than in Germany for coffee and cleaning products. While a 200-gram pack of Nescafe Gold is sold for 12.49 Euros in Germany, it finds buyers at 18.15 Euros in Turkey. Fairy's 30-count dishwasher tablets are priced at 8.99 Euros in Germany and at 11.63 Euros in Turkey.

This gap observed in basic consumer goods becomes even more striking when evaluated alongside income levels. The gross minimum wage in Turkey was set at 33,030 Turkish Liras. It is noted that this amount, which corresponded to 654 Euros at the beginning of the year, has fallen to the 614 Euro level over the past 7 months.

In Germany, the gross minimum wage is at the 2,343 Euro level. This figure places Germany among the top three countries with the highest minimum wage within the European Union. The situation emerging in market prices to the detriment of Turkey, combined with the income gap, increases the pressure on citizens' purchasing power.

News Source: 12punto