The 10 most expensive goods and services were almost entirely absorbed by utility companies.
Photo: Yulia PYKHALOVA. Go to Photobank KP
Rosstat summed up the results of July and told us how the country’s average prices changed over the month. The results are predictable: the largest contribution to the July price increase was made by utilities, whose tariffs increased from July 1. Food turned out to be the slowest growing category. But this is due to the summer: most fruits and vegetables started to become cheaper.
Overall, prices have increased by 5.06% since the beginning of the year. And over the year, up to July 2023, by 9.13%. That is, the inflation rate has increased, from 8.59% in June. Last year, during the same summer period, they were much lower – 4.3% annualized (July 2023 to July 2022). But there was no traditional increase in utility bills since July last year. It was services that caused the main increase in inflation – from 8.79% in June (if we look only at service prices) to 11.36% in July. Food inflation even decreased slightly – from 9.81% in June to 9.67% in July.
WHAT HAS GONE UP IN PRICE
The 10 most expensive goods and services were almost entirely absorbed by utility companies. On average, their tariffs increased by 9.9%. But some of these services have become more expensive. The most serious problem is cold water and sewage, by more than 11%.
“The current increase in the cost of utilities was indeed slightly higher than inflation in 2023 (7.4%), but this is due to the period when a moratorium on tariff increases was declared (tariffs were not increased last year – Ed.), – explains the expert of the Public Council under the Ministry of Construction of Russia, head of the National Housing Congress association Tatyana Vepretskaya. – Since resource-supplying organizations do not have enough funds to renew fixed assets and deteriorate networks, costs accumulate that affect the increase in the cost of utilities.
The Ministry of Construction, in turn, reminds that needy citizens are entitled to a subsidy for housing and communal services. More than 2 million families are currently receiving it.
Among the products, cabbage has risen the most in price during the month. But this can be explained by the seasonal factor: its mass harvesting begins later than other vegetables, which, for the most part, have already begun to gradually become cheaper. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, producer prices for cabbage are now lower than a year ago, by 2.1%.
If we subtract vegetables and fruits, then, as stated in the certificate of the Ministry of Economic Development “On the current price situation”, the growth rate of food prices in July remained almost at the level of the previous month (+0.44%).
Among medicines, laxatives, which are included in the list of vital and essential medicines, have become much more expensive.
NUMBERS ONLY:
These goods and services increased in price the most in July:
Laxative +16.9%
White cabbage +12.2%
Gasoline fuel +11.7%
Cold water supply +11.3%
Water disposal (sewerage) +11.2%
Hot water supply +10.9%
Heating +10.2%
Gas supply +9.4%
Electricity +8.9%
Municipal waste management (garbage) +7%
WHICH IS CHEAPER
First of all, prices for fruit and vegetables are falling, including most of the so-called “borscht set”. The absolute leaders are beets and carrots. But bananas have also become more affordable – the demand for them decreases at this time of year, as there are many other fruits and berries, many of them from their own orchards. Chicken eggs, which last year scared everyone with the rise in prices, continue to fall in price.
Prices for rail transport services have fallen, especially for compartment travel (here it should be noted that this is on average, and not for tourist destinations, and that previously these services had risen in price quite significantly).
And among the nice little things: prices for some devices are gradually falling. Smartwatches dropped in price by 2.3% and laptops by 0.9%.
NUMBERS ONLY:
These goods and services were the ones that fell the most in price in July:
Beetroot -19.1%
Carrots -6.6%
Fresh tomatoes -4.5%
Cold Remedy -4.5%
Travel in a branded express train compartment -4.4%
Grapes -4.2%
Banana -3.7%
Chicken eggs -3.7%
Onions -3.5%
Travelling in an unmarked compartment of a fast train -3.1%
