French people uneasy about rising costs

PARIS

French people are concerned about the declining living standards due to the soaring cost of living, especially energy.

While food, energy and fuel prices in France -- which are already affected by the COVID-19 crisis -- increased rapidly after the Ukraine-Russia war, it is expected that the heat wave and drought in the summer months will push the prices even higher.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Saisabil Dafraine, an engineering student living in Versailles, said: "As a student, I think my living standard has fallen because our income is the same. Especially as students. I can't even imagine minimum wage earners."

Dafraine pointed out that the price of each product increased by at least €1 or €2 in grocery shopping. The number of products in a shopping cart varied between 20 and 50, which shows on the bill as an extra €50.

Dafraine further stated that while she was charged € 50-60 for a tank of petrol a few years ago, now this has reached € 90-100.

Another French Alhassan Binate, a resident of Goussainville, a suburb of the capital Paris, also stated that he does not pay electricity bills below € 40 per month and that the prices are increasing daily. "Life in France is really expensive today."

Linda, a Saint-Denis resident, stated there had been a serious increase in energy and food prices in recent months, adding, "There is an increase in everything. I am a little lucky because my children are adults. They are financially independent; they work. I feel sorry for those who have children. Because you can't live like this."

Meanwhile, Moussaoui Fouad, who works in the construction industry, emphasized that prices have increased everywhere, from fuel to work materials, noting that the fuel cost has doubled and the square meter of the parquet has increased by € four in the last month.

Energy prices in France increased by 28.5% in July

Food and energy prices, which rose rapidly with the Ukraine-Russia war, are expected to rise even higher with the heat wave and drought in the summer.

According to data from the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE), inflation in the country reached 6.1 % on an annual basis in July. The biggest increase was recorded in energy prices with 28.5%.