The cost of making the classic Margherita pizza rose last month at twice the rate of inflation in Italy due to an explosion in the prices of olive oil and mozzarella cheese, Bloomberg writes.

According to Bloomberg calculations based on data from the Italian Institute of Statistics (Istat) and the Ministry of Economy, the total amount spent on the purchase of ingredients for the classic Margherita pizza in May this year increased by 18.4% compared to last May. from Rome

The Pizza Margherita index, calculated by Bloomberg, continues to register growth well above the headline inflation index, which was 8% last month. However, the pace of price growth has slowed compared to April and is well below the peak of more than 30% reached last November.

The index combines data on flour, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, olive oil and the electricity consumption needed to cook a pizza in the oven. In May, olive oil rose in price the most in annual terms (24.6%), followed by mozzarella cheese (22.1%). From month to month, the most expensive tomatoes rose by 7.5% compared to April. Instead, only energy carriers became cheaper – by 1.4%.

In comparison, the cost of buying ready-made pizza has increased by only 7.7% per year, making eating out more attractive than cooking at home.

At the same time, the price of pasta increased again in May, according to Istat data. Human rights group Assoutenti called for a national boycott of the pasta starting June 22 after the government in Rome decided not to take action to counter the higher prices at a meeting last month. (Source: Agerpres / Photo: Dreamstime.com)