MOSCOW, October 31, 2007 Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents information concerning how Russians estimate the price increase in the country as a whole and the price increase on foodstuff in particular, what reasons they see for the inflation.
The share of respondents who estimate the level of inflation in the country as very high has increased during the last three months, from July till October, 2007, by 30 % (from 52% up to 82%). At the same time the share of respondents considering the price increase to be moderate (from 35% down to 13%) or insignificant (from 8% to 1%) has reduced.
If compared with the state of affairs last year the number of respondents connecting the reasons for inflation with the dealers' and manufacturers' greediness, monopolization (from 7% up to 12%); import of products (from 2% up to 7%) has grown. The share of those who explain inflation by inactivity and irresponsibility of the authorities (from 13% to 8%) has decreased, as well as the share of those who see the reasons in the price increase on oil and other energy carriers (from 11% to 3%), gasoline (from 8% to 1%), undeveloped economy (from 8% to 4%). Every second respondent finds it difficult to provide adequate reasons for inflation.
38% of respondents estimate that the prices for food products that they normally buy have risen by 20-25%; 32% of respondents believe that the prices are now at least twice as high as they used to be. Three months ago the public opinion would mention a price increase of the average of 10-15%.
The increase of prices on dairy products and vegetable oil has been the most noticeable for Russians - 74% and 82% of respondents mention a significant increase in prices for these food products (cf.: no more than 26% of respondents spoke of a significant price increase on dairy products only three months ago). 56% of respondents specify an essential increase in prices for meat and meat foods, 48-49% - on bakery products, as well as cereals and macaroni, 41% mention vegetables and fruits in this respect.
Only 5% of respondents confess that their expenditures for food constitute less than a quarter of their family budget. 29% of respondents give out 25-49% of their incomes on food. 60% of respondents spend over a half of family income on food, this includes 18% of respondents who spend almost their whole income (75% and more) to buy food products. Despite the price increase on food products, the share which expenditures for food products constitute in the family budget of Russians has not changed yet.
Every second respondent (52%) is going to limit his/her expenditures on food products. One third of respondents (34%) mention that the increase in prices on food products will cripple their family budget, but will not be reflected on the food that they buy. In Moscow and St. Petersburg the share of those who is going to limit their ration, reaches 30%, in large and middle-size cities it amounts to 46-50%, in small cities and villages it totals 57-60%.
The majority of respondents (75%) believe that such increase in prices on products should not be allowed to happen (ranging from 57% of respondents in the group of those who consider themselves belonging to the people well provided for, to 86% of respondents in the group with low estimation of own financial standing). 15% of respondents assume that this price increase is caused by objective reasons, and 5% refer to a natural fluctuation of prices.
The All-Russia opinion poll was conducted by VCIOM in October20-21, 2007. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 153 population areas of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.
How would you characterize the price increase (inflation) of the last month or two? | ||||
| February 5-6, 2005 | February 19-20, 2006 | July 28-29, 2007 | October 20-21, 2007 |
Inflation is very high | 62 | 62 | 52 | 82 |
Inflation is moderate | 26 | 26 | 35 | 13 |
Inflation is insignificant | 5 | 7 | 8 | 1 |
Hard to say | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
What do you think are the reasons for a high inflation rate and a prise increase in Russia? (A free-answer question, any number of responses) | |||
| September 9-10, 2006 | July 28-29, 2007 | October 20-21, 2007 |
The dealers' and manufacturers' greediness, monopolization | 7 | 4 | 12 |
Inactivity and irresponsibility of the authorities | 13 | 5 | 8 |
Import of products | 2 | 3 | 7 |
Absence of means to regulate the market | 4 | 4 | 6 |
An increase in salaries and payments made to the population | 4 | 5 | 5 |
Corruption, theft | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Undeveloped economy | 8 | 10 | 4 |
The price increase on oil and other energy carriers | 11 | 2 | 3 |
A world-wide tendency | - | - | 3 |
Bad harvest this year | - | - | 2 |
The price increase on gasoline | 8 | 10 | 1 |
The government indulges in the price increase | 2 | 4 | 1 |
The increase in the dollar rate | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Other variant | 4 | 4 | 1 |
Hard to say | 42 | 51 | 50 |
To what extent do you think did the prices on the products that you normally buy grow in our city? | ||
| July 28-29, 2007 | October 20-21, 2007 |
The prices for them remained unchanged | 4 | 0 |
By 5% | 15 | 3 |
By 10% | 24 | 9 |
By 15% | 17 | 12 |
By 20% | 12 | 19 |
By 25% | 8 | 19 |
By 50% | 4 | 20 |
By more than 50% | 1 | 12 |
The prices for them were reduced | 0 | 0 |
Hard to say | 15 | 6 |
How would you characterize the price increase on food products of the last month or two? | |||||||||||
| Bakery products | Flour, cereals, macaroni | Dairy produce | Meat and meat foods | Fruits and Vegetables | Vegetable oil | |||||
| VII-07 | X-07 | VII | X | VII | X | VII | X | VII | X | X-07 |
The prices were significantly reduced | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
The prices were reduced, but insignificantly | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
The prices remained unchanged | 9 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 20 | 2 | 15 | 5 | 19 | 10 | 2 |
There was an insignificant price increase | 44 | 37 | 40 | 37 | 42 | 18 | 38 | 29 | 32 | 35 | 11 |
There was a significant price increase | 43 | 49 | 37 | 48 | 26 | 74 | 34 | 56 | 29 | 41 | 82 |
Hard to say | 4 | 3 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 5 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 4 |
Try to estimate what share of your family income the expenditures on food products constitute | |||
| November 19-20, 2005 | July 28-29, 2007 | October 20-21, 2007 |
Less than 25% | 7 | 5 | 5 |
25-49% | 33 | 32 | 29 |
50-74% | 40 | 41 | 42 |
75% and more | 16 | 16 | 18 |
Hard to say | 4 | 6 | 6 |
How will the price increase on food products be reflected on your family budget? | ||||||
| Total respondents | Type of Settlement | ||||
Moscow and St. Petersburg | More than 500 thousand residents | 100-500 thousand residents | Less than 100 thousand residents | Villages | ||
It is a significant increase for our family, we will need to limit our expenditures on food products | 52 | 30 | 50 | 46 | 57 | 60 |
The increase in prices on food products will cripple our family budget, but will not be reflected on the food that we buy | 34 | 46 | 39 | 39 | 30 | 28 |
It will slightly affect our budget | 11 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 9 |
A price increase like that is of no importance to our budget | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Hard to say | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
How would you estimate the price increase on food products as a whole? | ||||
| Total respondents | Estimation of own financial standing | ||
Very high, high | Middle | Low, very low | ||
A price increase on food products like that should not be allowed under any circumstances | 75 | 57 | 73 | 86 |
The price increase is significant, but it has been caused by objective reasons | 15 | 22 | 17 | 8 |
It is a natural price fluctuation, there is nothing to worry about in this respect | 5 | 14 | 4 | 1 |
Hard to say | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 |