Why are Italian pasta prices rising? Will the crisis affect US consumers?

Last month, the Italian government called for a crisis meeting over the soaring prices of the country’s biggest staple, pasta. They went up by 17.5% in March and 16.5% in April compared to the same period last year. These percentages are twice the increase in the country’s consumer price index numbers, which were recently recorded at 8%. Some consumer advocates are proposing that people hold a pasta strike to protest the cost of the popular food item.

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Why are Italian pasta prices rising?

The high prices were attributed to steeper prices of raw materials at the time the pasta was made due to the war in Ukraine and higher energy and packaging costs. Pasta makers have also cited supply chain issues and increased logistical expenses.

However, consumer advocates have accused producers of pasta of raising prices simply to increase their profits, especially since the price of durum wheat has gone down by a third since May of last year. Durum is the main ingredient in Italian pasta.

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Will the Italian pasta crisis affect US consumers?

The US has been seeing big increases in food prices recently, and this includes spaghetti and macaroni, which experienced a 20% increase in April compared to the same period last year, jumping from $1.22 to $1.46 a pound.

However, the surge in pasta prices in Italy is not likely to cause as much of a crisis in the United States because Americans do not consume as much of it as Italians do. The average Italian eats about 50 pounds of pasta a year, while the average in the US is about 19 pounds per person annually.

Also, the price increase for pasta in the US, while significant, has not been as alarming as that of other food items, such as eggs.