Consumer groups in Italy are accusing food producers of price gouging as the price of pasta continues to rise by 17.5%, which is more than double the rate of inflation. The Italian government has convened a summit to address the crisis at the heart of the nation – the escalating cost of pasta.
“There is no justification for the increases other than pure speculation on the part of the large food groups who also want to supplement their budgets with extra profits,” Furio Truzzi, the group’s president, told the Washington Post.
“Pasta is a primary food for the Italian diet. Increasing its price would be like raising the price of corn cob for Americans,” he said.
Some individuals observed that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine had an influence on worldwide wheat prices. They further stated that the present market price of pasta is a result of the input expenses that producers had to bear months ago.
“Pasta on the shelves today was produced months ago when durum wheat was purchased at high prices and with energy costs at the peak of the crisis,” said Michele Crippa, an Italian professor of gastronomic science.