The price of toilet paper rose by 17.4% in October compared to September, while the price of fresh fish fell also by 17.4% in the same period.

In the Consumer Protection Service's Price Observatory of Basic Consumer Goods for the month of October, it appears that at a price index level, in a total of 45 categories of basic products, 28 categories recorded a decrease, of which 14 categories at a rate of more than 1%.

Fresh fish and mollusks recorded the largest decrease by 17.4% and vegetables/greens by 13.4%, followed by pasta an increase of 4.1%, frozen fish and meat 3.8% and 3.5% respectively, bottled water by 1.8%, flour by 1.6% and sugar by 1%.

On the other hand, 17 categories showed an increase, the most important being toilet paper by 17.4%, frozen mollusks and shellfish by 4%, fabric softeners by 3.1%, gas cylinder by 2.7%, fresh meat by 1.7 %, frozen breaded/precooked fish by 1.7% and Cypriot coffee by 1.5%.

Prices vary between supermarkets

A large variation in prices is observed among supermarkets, according to the research carried out by the Consumer Protection Service.

Specifically, the Service has proceeded on November 15th, to record the prices of 56 common and very important household products in three large Nicosia supermarkets.

It says that the difference in the value of products between the most expensive supermarket from the cheapest one amounts to 10% or €255.73 against 232.74, with the middle one at €247.44.

In addition, the Service reports that the benefit to the consumer from the application of the zero VAT rate to 9 products from November 1st amounts to €5.74 in total purchases worth €60, depending on the supermarket.