Annual balance sheet of the price monitor: Meierhans senses the population’s concerns about inflation

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Concerns and dissatisfaction among the population are increasing. The price monitor received 2,775 reports last year. That is 17 percent more than last year. At the time, 2,368 citizen reports were received. The comparison is even more precarious since late 2021, when the number nearly doubled. Price monitor Stefan Meierhans (55) presented these figures on Monday at his annual balance sheet in Bern.

This development is an expression of the growing concerns and dissatisfaction among the population about the rising costs of living, Meierhans explains. The implementation of measures against the expensive island of Switzerland is much more urgent for large parts of the population than the national consumer price index suggests. For him and his team, this means one thing above all: “Persist, provide prophylaxis, prevent!” So take action before the evil even happens, says Meierhans.

Many reports on the topics of energy and health

Most often, namely in 20.4 percent of cases, citizens’ reports to the price monitor related to the energy sector. Healthcare comes second in the rankings with a share of 13.4 percent. This was far ahead of public transport, which accounted for 5 percent of reports.

When it comes to electricity, the price monitor also sees opportunities to reduce costs. Meierhans complained that the population and the economy had been paying significantly excessive user fees for years. It’s a three-digit million dollar amount every year.

Regarding petrol and diesel prices, the press monitor examined the level of margins at refineries and petrol stations. He noted that the price increase cannot be fully explained by increased crude oil prices. It is certain that margins have increased at the refineries. Whether this is a temporary disruption of the market mechanism or a sustainable phenomenon will be further investigated.

The price monitor cited the agreements with the post office and the public transport trade association Alliance Swisspass as the most important results of its work. In the case of the postal service, the planned price increases could have been reduced by 40 percent.

Price watchdog calls for a sense of proportions of the public sector

The postal company announced last July that it would increase the rates for letters and parcels at the beginning of 2024. Since the beginning of the year, A and B postal letters have each cost 10 centimes more, and prices for priority and economy packages have risen by 1.50 francs each.

With regard to the prices of public transport, Meierhans emphasizes that, among other things, holders of a general 2nd class season ticket can be prevented from becoming financially overburdened. Since the timetable change, 2nd class GA has cost 3,995 francs; Alliance Swisspass originally wanted a price increase to 4,080 francs.

In view of rising prices, the price monitor also called on the public sector itself to show “the greatest restraint and sense of proportion” when it comes to a possible increase in rates for water, sewage and waste. It is gratifying that many of the recommendations have been heard.

As in previous years, Meierhans also warned that system flaws in healthcare must be eliminated and, for example, medicine prices must be reduced to the level of other European countries. In 2023, he recommended measures worth one billion francs in the healthcare system – with the aim of slowing the rise in health insurance premiums. (oco/SDA)

Source:Blick