What does double-digit inflation mean for Turkey?
The accelerating pace of Turkey’s inflation threatens significant erosion in most forms of income on which the country’s population lives.
Turkish consumer inflation has exceeded 10%, climbing back to double digits after 58 months. The factors pushing prices up are unlikely to subside in the coming months, meaning that a double-digit overall inflation at the end of the year is now a strong prospect for the country.
The Consumer Price Index, which denotes the change in the prices of goods and services that consumers buy, was up 10.1% year on year in February. The increase was higher in some categories and lower in others. In food and housing, which account for 24% and 15% of the consumer basket, respectively, the increase stood at 8.7% and 7.4%. Meanwhile, in the transport and tobacco-alcohol categories, which make up 14% and about 6% of household budgets, respectively, inflation stood at 18% and nearly 22%.