– It's interesting that such a conference is being organized by a party under whose rule we had a huge spike in inflation – said economist Marek Zuber on TVN24, referring to Thursday's conference of Law and Justice on prices in Poland.
On Thursday, January 2 Law and Justice organized a press conference with the participation of the party president Jarosław Kaczyńskithe head of the club Mariusz Błaszczak and MEP, former Prime Minister Beata Szydło. Jarosław Kaczyński said that today we are dealing with high prices, and its symbol is the increase in butter prices.
During the conference, PiS politicians used a refrigerator as a prop. Inside there were cards with an image Donald Tusk and the names of basic food products and a description of the percentage increase in their prices – including: milk by 40%, eggs by 37%, yellow cheese by 20%, butter by 100%.
– It is difficult to imagine family life without these products – said former Prime Minister Beata Szydło. Meanwhile, she said, “the prices of these products have been increasing very dynamically in recent weeks.”
PiS president Jarosław Kaczyński during a press conference at the party headquarters PAP/Tomasz Gzell
“Powerful inflation shot” under PiS
Marek Zuber, an economist from the WSB Academy, was asked about the conference of PiS representatives on TVN24.
– It is interesting that such a conference is organized by a party under whose rule we had a great success after over 20 years inflation – noted the economist. – Because we remember February 2023 and 18.4 percent. (inflation – ed.). Well, not Tusk was in power then, but (Mateusz) Morawiecki – he reminded.
– Of course it's 18.4 percent. it did not result solely from the decisions of ruling politicians. I think it's 40 percent. this inflation resulted from the decisions of the government. The remaining elements were, of course, Putin's actions, war in Ukraineand the consequences of the pandemic, the second part of the pandemic – said the TVN24 guest.
– This does not change the fact that back then we heard that the increase in inflation was not the result of government actions at all, but of some external factors – noted Marek Zuber.
“The butter will melt soon”
In his opinion, “it is difficult to blame Tusk today for the increase in butter prices that we have observed on markets across Europe.”
At the same time, he added, in the last two or three weeks the prices of this product have been falling on the European market. – The butter will melt in a moment. I think it's a matter of a month at most, said Marek Zuber.
The economist was also asked about government intervention, i.e. the sale of butter by the Government Agency for Strategic Reserves – This decision made sense in terms of PR, because in terms of real impact on the market, it was obviously small. Because a thousand tons compared to – there are different data here – to 240 – 250 thousand. tons sold annually in Poland, then it is certainly not a great value – he noted.
– But at the same time, the government's decision to release the reserves resulted in a decline in butter prices in Europe. So like this moment was good. If I decided about it, maybe I would sell a larger quantity – he noted.
Perhaps, as he added, it would be worth intervening on the market earlier.
“There weren't those things that got cheaper”
The economist also talked about the factors that cause increases in food prices. – As for the main elements that cause increases in food prices, on the one hand we have issues of the European or world market, and on the other hand there are also speculations. These speculations are most visible on the butter market, but also on the cocoa and coffee markets, because these two products were not in the PiS fridge, but they have actually increased in price the most in recent years – he noted.
As he noted, during the conference “there were no things that became cheaper.” – After all, sugar has become cheaper and flour has become cheaper considering the last few months. Even comparing it to Christmas Eve 2023. These products were not available, Zuber explained.
The TVN24 guest admitted that the entire food basket is slightly more expensive than in 2023. – The food and non-alcoholic beverages group is actually becoming more expensive at the moment and this increase is stronger than the entire inflation – said the economist. – But here we are dealing with global trends, he said.
Main photo source: PAP/Tomasz Gzell