THE ONLY item on a list of everyday goods and services that did not see a price increase in September was parking fees, the Finance Ministry said yesterday.
A detailed analysis of what the Ministry called ‘sensitive items’, which was released yesterday, showed that everything from bread, to a haircut went up during the month from 0.2 per cent to 8.6 per cent respectively.
The Ministry said the 13 items listed were ‘sensitive’ in the sense they were more prone to unjustifiable increases.
According to the figures, a kebab went up 5.4 per cent in September, dry cleaning 4.6 per cent, takeaway meals 3.6 per cent and a cup of coffee 4.6 per cent.
Oddly haircut charges increased again in October by 2.5 per cent even though in the middle of the month the government announced a reduction of VAT from 15 per cent to five per cent on certain services including hairdressers. The VAT reduction was supposed to be effective immediately.
Overall, prices of the items in question rose on average 1.18 per cent in September compared to increases of less than one per cent in the other months since February.
The Ministry said that around 60 per cent of the listed items went up in price in September.
And although parking charges did not increase in September, they did rise 5.1 per cent last April, 1.9 per cent in May, 1.9 per cent in June, and 1.1 per cent in October.
The lowest overall price increases were recorded in May and June at 0.28 per cent and 0.12 per cent, but then jumped in July by 0.78 per cent.
According to the figures the price of bread has increased every month since February except April and May. It went down 1.1 per cent in June and back up 1.1 per cent in July.
A tooth filling went up in price by 11.8 per cent in April, 1.0 per cent in July, 2.3 per cent in September and another 4.0 per cent in October.
Kebab went up 4.8 per cent in February, 1.5 per cent in March, 1.2 per cent in May, 1.2 per cent in July, 5.4 per cent in September and 0.8 per cent in October.
The price of takeaways jumped 3.6 per cent in September and prior to that, 1.5 per cent in July, 2.3 per cent in April and 0.6 per cent in March this year.
The Ministry said the figures showed that the price of the listed goods and services increased on average 0.4 per cent more between February and October this year than during the same period last year.
The last time no price increases were recorded in the goods and services listed, was in March 2006.
The Ministry said however that an important slowdown in the increases was recorded for October, when prices rose on average 0.54 per cent compared to September’s 1.18 per cent.
Compared to September when 60 per cent of the items were increased, only 34 per cent of the same items on the list went up in October, the Ministry said.
It said that the size of the increases in medical and dentistry fees was particularly noted, as were those for hairdressers and takeaway foods.
“Taking into account that in recent months there have been significant increases in raw materials in international markets due to bad weather and the price of oil, the increase in some products such as bread appear to be in line with those increases,” the Ministry said.
“But for certain other products and services this does not appear to be the reason.” It mentioned medical services, hairdressers, dry cleaners, parking and coffee prices.
The Ministry said it would be following through on the listed items in the coming months, which will reveal the extent to which the changeover to the euro might affect prices when it comes into force on January 1.
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