By Francis Akinnodi
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The recent hike in food prices has caused many Nigerians to rethink their food consumption pattern. Some have adjusted to their budget realities.
Food items such as turkey, fish, beef, sausage, milk and other animal protein sources are fast becoming exempted from families’ diets due to the surge in their prices.
An household wife, Mrs. Caroline Adeniyi expressed her disdain for the current situation and how she copes with it.
“It’s crazy how food inflation simply forces people to forgo some food items and move on with life. I haven’t bought turkey and chicken since it cost N3200 and N2200 per Kg respectively. I stopped buying sardine when it became N380″.
Others expressed anxiety they feel each time they go to the markets as the prices of food always exceed their budget.
According to Caroline Akintoye, “Inflation has forced many households to stop buying noodles, yam, sardines, spaghetti, eggs, etc. The list is endless. Sometimes I am even scared of going to the market.
“The popular food franchise recently added a new combo “Egg star” to its menu. This new combo contains rice or spaghetti, with stew and boiled egg and it is priced at N500. This was a surprise to Nigerians as the franchise is known to be a strictly chicken menu.
“In 2020 their, “Refuel spaghetti with a spicy peppered sauce and delicious chicken” was N500, the same price as the “Egg star” menu in 2022. This menu belongs to the franchise’s everyday affordable meal, which consists of other affordable meals but the “Egg star” is their most affordable.
“Inflation is at work here. The business owners have to constantly improvise. Either they increase the price of their commodity or they substitute. Imagine the cost of chicken two years ago to what it is now obtainable.”
People now cope with the rise in food inflation by either foregoing a particular food item for a cheaper one or skipping a meal a day all to meet their budget.
A financial consultant, Glory Fadipe told The Hope that, “Many families skip meals or take lesser portions, they get the cheaper stuff irrespective of quality they just have to break even and there’s nothing that can be done about it.”
She said some food items are fast becoming meals consumed only once in a while because there too expensive.
“Staples are now becoming once-in-a-blue-moon things. Chicken, fishes like Titus are now expensive.”