APCOM

Throughout April, in Milano, price increase didn't undergo any acceleration. The inflation remained stable at +3.1%. However, this good news has been immediately overshadowed by the prices' index published by the city council on April 30th. Bread and pasta are quickly climbing the price lists: during last month, their quotations increased by 1%. One piece of bread roll and a dish of pasta cost 7.9% more than a year ago.

Constantly increases concern many fields besides food: +9.9% for milk, eggs and cheese (0.7% in April); +3.4% in the span of a month for the electricity bill (9.3% within the course of the year); +4.5% as for the gas bill. The list could be longer and it could include wine, dentists and even stationery items. The boost of prizes involves primary goods, so the decrease of the prices of mobile phones and computers passes by unnoticed.

In December 2007 the inflation in Milano was equal to 2.6%, 0.5% less than today. The data emerging from different surveys and studies recently carried out confirm an already known fact, that Milano is the most expensive Italian city. The initiatives aimed at protecting buyers and their rights that have been launched up to now both at a political level and by consumers' associations weren't as successful as expected, so citizens are still waiting for some definitive solutions.