Buying 15 products whose prices "Vijesti" has been monitoring for almost two years in a large and small supermarket in Podgorica now costs a little more than a month ago. Specifically, shopping in a hypermarket costs 46,2 euros, or 70 cents more than in May, when the same groceries cost 45,5 euros.
It is similar in a small market, where you also have to pay 70 cents more for a glass, or 33,6 instead of 32,9 euros. According to previous research by "Vijesti", these prices have usually been cheaper month after month, which has now changed. Compared to May, the main price increase in large stores was 50 cents in the case of dishwashing detergent, while in mini markets the price of milk increased by the same amount.
The exception to these cases is the market, where buying a few fruits and vegetables is a little cheaper than a month ago.
These are some of the results shown by the monthly price barometer "Vijesti", which monitored the price movements of 15 products in Podgorica's small, large supermarkets and the market. The reporter went to these facilities once a month since September 2023, in the middle of the month, to list prices, monitor their movements and possible price increases or decreases. These are different foods, from the same manufacturer, of identical type and weight in order to give a true picture of monthly changes.
As of April 30, none of the previous relief measures for citizens, i.e. neither the "Limited Prices" nor the margin limit for basic foodstuffs, have officially been applied in Montenegro. The government has announced that it plans to implement new measures from mid-May, but they have not yet been announced.
According to Monstat data, May prices were 0,6 percent higher than April. Compared to the fifth month of last year, prices were 3,9 percent higher. The greatest impact on the monthly inflation rate was had by fruit, meat, milk, cheese and eggs, accommodation, oils and fats, clothing, restaurants, cafes...
Only cucumbers are cheaper
Buying all 15 products in a large supermarket today costs 46,2 euros, which is about 70 cents more than in May, when the same basket cost 45,5 euros. Compared to June last year, shopping in this supermarket is about 1,4 euros cheaper, when the items cost 47,6 euros.
In the last 30 days, the price of dishwashing detergent has increased by 50 cents in a large supermarket, so its price has come from 2,5 euros to three euros. Toilet paper is also slightly more expensive, with the price being ten cents higher than in May, and bananas are also costing the same amount. On the fruit and vegetable side, the price of a kilogram of tomatoes has also increased since May, costing 20 cents more, i.e. instead of 1,75, you now have to pay two euros for it.
The only product that now costs less in a large supermarket than in mid-May is cucumber, which is 20 cents cheaper.
Compared to June last year, veal is currently one euro cheaper and chicken is two euros cheaper. In addition to meat, chocolate is 40 cents cheaper, caladont is ten cents cheaper, and ham is about 20 cents. On the other hand, dishwashing detergent and tomatoes are now significantly more expensive, by 50 cents each, milk is 40 cents, bananas are 20 cents, and toilet paper and yogurt are ten cents each.
A 70 cent increase in total purchases over the past month has also been recorded by a small market, where products from the list now cost 33,6 euros, compared to 32,9 euros in May. Compared to last year, June purchases are 40 cents cheaper, as last year they cost 34 euros.
In small shops, milk is 50 cents more expensive today compared to May, which cost 1,15 euros a month ago and now costs 1,65 euros. The price of yogurt is also higher, by 20 cents, which has come down from the previous 1,3 to a euro and a half. Tomatoes are also that much more expensive, for a kilogram of which you now have to pay two euros. In the mini market, bananas are 20 cents cheaper compared to May.
Compared to the sixth month of last year, a small shop now charges two euros less for a kilogram of chicken, the price of which has come down from ten to the current eight euros. Fish fingers cost about 30 cents less, ham 20 cents less, and yogurt and cucumbers a little less. All other monitored foods, except eggs, are more expensive than in June last year. Thus, tomatoes were 60 cents cheaper per kilogram last year, apples, bananas, and chocolate were 30 cents cheaper, and toilet paper, dishwashing detergent, and caladont were 20 cents cheaper, and milk was about ten cents cheaper.
The market, however, was significantly cheaper last year at the same time. Back then, fruits and vegetables on the list cost 4,2 euros, which is 1,7 euros less than now, when the same groceries cost 5,9 euros. The price level at the market has not changed significantly in the last month, as cucumbers, tomatoes, apples and bananas cost six euros in May.
The market was cheaper last year
The market stands out on this visit because, apart from bananas, all fruits and vegetables were cheaper in June last year. Bananas now cost one euro, the same as they were in May and last year. The price of apples is currently 1,4 euros, the same as it was a month ago, but they still cost more than in the same period last year, when a kilogram cost 1,2 euros.
The biggest difference is in the case of tomatoes, which cost a euro in May 2023 and now cost two euros. Cucumbers are in a similar situation, although the price difference is not that great. This vegetable cost a euro last June, while it now costs 1,5 euros. The price of cucumbers in May this year was 1,8 euros.
A month and a half ago, the “Limited Prices” expired, a state action by which the Government, from September last year until the end of April, limited margins for 67 food and hygiene products in wholesale and retail stores. The “Vijesti” price barometer from May showed that immediately after the action expired, supermarkets raised prices for some of the previously included foods. Thus, a liter of milk became 20 percent more expensive than in April, while the price of yogurt was 15 cents higher than a month earlier, which showed that the prices of these items had returned to levels from the period when there were no state actions in force.
The measure to limit margins on six basic foodstuffs, namely sunflower oil, granulated sugar, type 400 and 500 flour, table salt, and liter-sized cow's milk in a bag, is no longer in force.
A new action is waiting
Minister of Economic Development and Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Nick Djelosaj He said that after the expiration of the "Limited Prices", the department will propose new measures to the Government, which should come into effect on May 15th.
He announced this at the end of April, but these measures have not yet been made public.
"The government, led by the Ministry of Economic Development, is working intensively on creating measures to preserve citizens' standards. In this regard, the government has launched and extended the "Limited Prices" campaign in several iterations, which includes over a thousand items. After the campaign expires tomorrow (April 30), the Ministry will propose new measures to the government, which should come into effect on May 15," Đeljošaj emphasized.
He added that this line of support will include "certain products, predominantly from domestic producers, in order to encourage domestic and agricultural production while preserving economic activities and creating incentives for tourism."
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