According to the statistical office MONSTAT, the total cost of the minimum consumer basket for July this year amounted to 641.6 euros. Of the total cost of the minimum consumer basket, expenses for food and non-alcoholic beverages amounted to 270.9 euros, while expenses for non-food goods and services amounted to 370.70 euros. “The total cost of the minimum consumer basket in July compared to June decreased by 0.2 percent. Expenses for food and non-alcoholic beverages in July compared to June decreased by 0.4 percent, while expenses for non-food goods and services compared to June decreased by 0.1 percent,” MONSTAT said.
How is the cost of the minimum consumer basket calculated
The minimum consumer basket includes the consumption of food and non-food goods and services that make it possible to maintain the life and working capacity of family members in accordance with the minimum recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Department of Agriculture 2010.(USDA Food Guide 2010) on the minimum calorie intake – 2,211 kcal per day per person. A basket for a family of four is the minimum monthly expenses related to food and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as non-food goods and services. To calculate the minimum expenses related to food and non-alcoholic beverages, average prices for the current month and monthly units of goods in kilograms are used for a family of four.