Türk-İş announces hunger and poverty thresholds: Minimum wage continues to erode!

As high inflation in Turkey continues to burden citizens, Türk-İş has announced the latest hunger and poverty thresholds.

The statement from Türk-İş read as follows:

HUNGER AND POVERTY THRESHOLDS

"According to the results of this research, which is conducted regularly every month by the TÜRK-İŞ Confederation to reveal the living conditions of employees and to determine the reflections of price changes in basic necessities on the family budget, for October 2024;

The monthly food expenditure amount required for a family of four living in Ankara to have a healthy, balanced, and adequate diet (hunger threshold) has risen to 20,431.83 TL, while the total amount of other monthly expenditures that must be made for food, clothing, housing (rent, electricity, water, fuel), transportation, education, health, and similar needs (poverty threshold) has risen to 66,553.19 TL, and the 'cost of living' for a single employee has risen to 26,526.77 TL per month.

THE INFLATION FIRE IN THE KITCHEN IS NOT DYING DOWN!

According to TÜRK-İŞ data, the change in 'kitchen inflation' data as of October 2024 occurred as follows:

The increase in the minimum expenditure amount that a family of four living in Ankara must make 'for food' was 3.03 percent compared to the previous month. The ten-month rate of change was 41.57 percent. The rate of change for the last twelve months was calculated as 49.31 percent. The annual average increase was 68.07 percent.

FOOD GROUPS

The amounts calculated by our Confederation are not wage levels but the total amount of income that should enter the household. The change in the prices of food products, which are taken as the basis in the TÜRK-İŞ calculation and compiled directly from the market by visiting bazaars, markets, and grocery stores, was as follows as of October 2024 according to expenditure groups:

MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS

While no significant change was seen in milk and yogurt prices this month in the milk, yogurt, and cheese group, which has high daily consumption, a partial increase was detected in cheese prices. However, a decrease in product variety on market shelves was also observed.

MEAT, CHICKEN, FISH

It was determined that there was a 5 percent increase in beef prices, which had decreased slightly last month, and a 3 percent increase in lamb prices this month. A 3 percent increase per kilogram was also observed in chicken meat prices this month. Fish products have diversified. The kilogram prices of fish varieties that are common in stalls and are in season, such as whiting, anchovy, bonito, and sea bass, decreased by 5 percent compared to last month. It was determined that the unit price of eggs was over 4 TL again this month. In the dry legumes group, a 3 percent decrease was observed in the price of dried beans. Changes were observed in the prices of other products due to competition, but it was determined that there was no significant change in prices on average.

VEGETABLES AND FRUITS

Fresh fruit and vegetable prices rose this month due to the increase in vegetable prices. Market vendors complain about the decrease in customers due to the decline in purchasing power. As always, seasonal products that are widely used in daily food expenditures were taken as the basis in the calculation. The prices of potatoes and dry onions, which are followed carefully every month, remained stable this month. While a 22.5 percent decrease was detected in fruit prices on average, a 21 percent increase was detected in vegetable prices on average.

The average vegetable price (excluding salad greens such as parsley, lettuce, etc., which complement main dishes) was 50.21 TL per kg, and the average fruit price was 53.12 TL per kg. In the calculation - this month - price changes in a total of 32 products, 24 of which are vegetables and 8 of which are fruits, were taken into account. The average fruit-vegetable price per kg was determined as 50.94 TL (salad greens such as parsley and lettuce that complement main dishes are included in the 'Average Fruit-Vegetable Price' in this calculation).

BREAD, RICE, FLOUR, PASTA

The price of bread did not change. Among other products, the highest increase was observed in pasta prices with 7.5 percent. A 5 percent increase was detected in flour prices. No significant change was seen in the prices of rice, bulgur, and semolina.

BASIC OIL PRODUCTS

In this group, which contains basic oil products; sunflower oil showed an increase this month, just as it did last month. It was determined that a 2.5 percent increase occurred in the kilogram price of butter, one of the other products. Olive oil and margarine prices remained stable. However, it was observed that the product variety of olive oil and sunflower oil on the shelves decreased. While a decrease was detected in the kilogram price of green olives, an increase was observed in the kilogram price of black olives. The prices of oilseed products remained stable this month.

OTHER FOODS

Among the food items in the last group, a partial increase was detected only in black pepper prices among spice products (cumin, mint, black pepper, etc.), but prices remained stable on average. The increase in tea prices was reflected on the labels this month, and a 5 percent increase per kilogram was detected. The price of linden tea showed an increase again this month. Among other products, the prices of honey and jam increased by 3 percent, and the prices of molasses and sugar increased by 2 percent. The prices of salt and tomato paste remained stable."

News Source: 12punto