Price increases, especially in food, are pushing down economic stability for households already struggling to make ends meet. This Wednesday, Caritas Barcelona presented findings from surveys conducted with 600 families, revealing a stark reality: 86% have reduced or stopped buying food because they cannot afford it, and more than half have had to forgo fresh produce, fruit, vegetables, meat, or fish.
The effects of inflation stretch beyond groceries. Many families are facing housing insecurity, with some unable to heat their homes or to afford medications and treatments for health needs. The director of Cáritas Barcelona, Salvador Busquets, urged that crises be anticipated rather than normalized as exclusion becomes a growing problem.
Miriam Feu, head of analysis for Cáritas, highlighted that the number of people experiencing social exclusion is at an unprecedented level, particularly in major cities. The price surge has driven price increases of about 15% for certain foods and up to 12% for supplies and housing costs.
Feu noted that inflation disproportionately affects those with the least income. The organization has observed long-standing hardships among the people it serves, many of whom were already grappling with the consequences of the 2008 financial crisis, the coronavirus pandemic, and now rising prices.
Rent, priority payments
A survey of 400 households shows that the primary impact remains on food security. Cáritas representatives describe living situations in rented rooms where failure to pay can lead to eviction, underscoring the acute vulnerability created by inflation. The researchers found that in these circumstances, families often must prioritize housing and the needs of children, while some adults skip meals. Among respondents, 43% report not having enough food and more than 60% cannot buy fresh fruit and vegetables.
Housing continues to be a central concern. About half of interviewed households have had to move from their current residences, or struggle to cover housing and heating costs.
There is also a rising number of families unable to pay for medications or to continue medical treatments. The organization notes record costs when paying for re-rented rooms for people in need. A comparison with data from the coronavirus period shows that current difficulties exceed those seen at the peak of that crisis, according to Feu.
In light of these findings, Salvador Busquets called for public policies aimed at reversing inequalities and reducing exclusion, especially in the housing sector. He pointed to a gap in social housing, noting that a 2007 agreement to allocate Catalonia 15 percent of housing estates has not been realized, leaving the region at roughly 1.5 percent today. He urged stronger, broader supports for the minimum income with conditions that enable families to live with dignity and stability, including access to extracurricular activities for children and opportunities for leisure. The ongoing challenge remains ensuring that guarantees reach those most in need and that families have dignity in daily life, not just shelter.
[Citation: Cáritas Barcelona analyses and statements on inflation impacts and social exclusion]