The price of Israel’s main food staple – bread – is expected to rise by 20 percent this coming Sunday.
Economy and Industry Minister Orna Barbivai gave consumers the bad news in an announcement on Wednesday blaming an increase in the global price of wheat and flour due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — one of the world’s main exporters of grain.
“I call on merchants to consider a partial increase in bread prices out of respect for consumers,” Barbivai urged. She said at the same time that she has asked officials to “continue to monitor world wheat and flour prices. As the prices of raw materials become cheaper, I will require the Price Committee to reduce the price of bread,” she promised.
Israel’s Largest Bakery Announces Price Hike – Along with Others
The largest bakery in the country – Angel Bakery – had already informed retail chains earlier this week that the price of its unregulated bread would be increased by 8 to 12 percent.
According to the ministry, a 500-gram loaf of challah is expected to cost NIS 5.17 (NIS 4.41 in Eilat). A 750-gr loaf of unsliced standard (dark) bread will cost NIS 5.12 (NIS 4.38 in Eilat).
The same bread sliced and pre-packaged will cost NIS 7.11 (NIS 6.07 in Eilat).
A 750-gr loaf of unsliced white bread will cost NIS 5.12 (NIS 4.38 in Eilat) – sliced and prepackaged, it will cost NIS 6.1 (NIS 5.21 in Eilat).
Dairy prices are also going up. The price of fresh milk (1%) in a carton now costs NIS 5.59 (NIS 4.78 in Eilat); the same milk costs less – NIS 4.81 in a bag (NIS 4.11 in Eilat). Fresh milk with more fat (3%) in a carton costs NIS 5.94 (NIS 5.08 in Eilat) but you can save a little by getting it in a bag (NIS 5.17). As with the other prices, in Eilat it is cheaper (NIS 4.42) because the resort town is a sales tax-free zone.
The price of other dairy products ranging from Eshel (4.5% fat) to hard cheese likewise was increased, as was the price of salt.
Last Friday, the price of eggs rose by 6.5 percent, raising the cost of a dozen XL eggs by nearly a dollar ($0.75) to almost $4 — NIS 12.4 — (in Eilat NIS 10.6).
Mammoth import distributor Diplomat also announced an impending price hike, which could raise the cost of popular brands imported from abroad such as Tide, Gillette, Starkist, Heinz, illy, Old Spice, Pampers, Wella, Pringles, Mazola, Kikkoman, Lotus, Oreo, Milka and Jacobs, among others.
The Electricity Authority is likewise projected to raise the price of electricity next month by an expected 10 percent, if not more.
The price of water has already increased. The Water Authority raised the price of water and sewage disposal to NIS 7.6 per cubic meter (cm) up to 3.5 cm per month per person in the household. Consumption in excess of 3.5 cm per person now costs NIS 13.58 cm.
The price of gasoline also rose in July for the fourth time since January.
