se times
30/12/2010
The cost of celebrating the holidays the traditional way has been going up every year. Are distributors raising them unfairly?
By Linda Karadaku for Southeast European Times -- 10\30\2010
The cost of celebrating the holidays the traditional way has been going up every year. Are distributors raising them unfairly?
By Linda Karadaku for Southeast European Times -- 10\30\2010
Mimoza, a hairdresser, is getting ready for the traditional holiday dinner. In addition to food, she has bought toys for her two children, Marko (7) and Lisena (3).
"It's difficult," she says. "With these prices, there's not much you can get."
Lidra, proprietor of a small food store in the middle of Tirana, acknowledges that nearly everything she sells becomes more expensive over the holidays. She says shopkeepers have no choice – the distributors charge more, and to stay in business, she has to pass the extra costs along to the consumer.
"Every time at the end of year, in December, it's the same story," she says.
She keeps a notebook in which she records the names of people and how much they have bought on a promise to pay, without putting any money down.
"They say they will pay. Then when they get some money, salaries, pensions or when their children send them money from abroad, they come and pay."
Her list contains from 300 to 500 names now. Every year it gets longer.
"It's difficult," she says. "With these prices, there's not much you can get."
Lidra, proprietor of a small food store in the middle of Tirana, acknowledges that nearly everything she sells becomes more expensive over the holidays. She says shopkeepers have no choice – the distributors charge more, and to stay in business, she has to pass the extra costs along to the consumer.
"Every time at the end of year, in December, it's the same story," she says.
She keeps a notebook in which she records the names of people and how much they have bought on a promise to pay, without putting any money down.
"They say they will pay. Then when they get some money, salaries, pensions or when their children send them money from abroad, they come and pay."
Her list contains from 300 to 500 names now. Every year it gets longer.
Not only do things become costlier as the holidays approach, but year-on-year prices are on the rise as well. "We could sell cooking oil at 180 leks per litre at the end of last year and we sell it with 230 leks per litre now. Sugar was 100 leks per package last year, it became 140 leks per package this year … milk was 100 leks per litre, it became 120 Leks per litre…prices of all products, including cigarettes and alcoholic drinks went up, from food to toilet paper…" Lidra recounts.
Many factors account for the trend, shopkeepers say – the economic crisis in Europe, the increased value of the euro compared to the lek. And then there's an unknown element at play, they add: "who knows what", as Lidra puts it.
Mimoza has decided to calculate carefully what she will buy. "It's one night, New Year's night. I will buy the Turkey… and then, only two toys for the children. I will manage," she says.
Many factors account for the trend, shopkeepers say – the economic crisis in Europe, the increased value of the euro compared to the lek. And then there's an unknown element at play, they add: "who knows what", as Lidra puts it.
Mimoza has decided to calculate carefully what she will buy. "It's one night, New Year's night. I will buy the Turkey… and then, only two toys for the children. I will manage," she says.
Turkey, a traditional fixture on the Albanian New Year table, goes for 5,000 leks these days. That makes it a budget-buster for most families -- and yet nearly everyone buys it. It's New Year's, after all.
"There is no New Year without the turkey," Mimoza explains. "Children love to see when I bake it, and then make pershesh," a dish which involves mixing bread with what's left in the pan.
Many suspect food distributors are deliberately pushing up the prices in order to exploit a captive market. According to the Albanian daily Mapo, the Authority of Competition is conducting preliminary inquiries.
"I don't understand why it goes like that in Albania. Everywhere else, as my brothers and my sister say, prices go down for holidays. Here, they go up," Mimoza laments.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
"There is no New Year without the turkey," Mimoza explains. "Children love to see when I bake it, and then make pershesh," a dish which involves mixing bread with what's left in the pan.
Many suspect food distributors are deliberately pushing up the prices in order to exploit a captive market. According to the Albanian daily Mapo, the Authority of Competition is conducting preliminary inquiries.
"I don't understand why it goes like that in Albania. Everywhere else, as my brothers and my sister say, prices go down for holidays. Here, they go up," Mimoza laments.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
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