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The increase in food prices in Brazil is also a consequence of raising packaging costs after the government increased the import rate of plastic resins to 20% last year.
Plastic packaging represent between 15 and 25% of the cost of food/Photo: Nick Presniakov
The warning is the president of the Brazilian Association of Plastic Industry, José Ricardo Roriz. According to him, plastic packaging represents between 15 and 25% of the cost of food.
“Plastic packaging are used by almost all basic basket products and about 65% of food and beverage packaging. We warned that this would happen, the impact on inflation. The result has come and now, ”he told the blog.
According to Abiplast data, the average rate of plastic resins worldwide is 6.5%, which imposes a much higher cost for packaging production, causing a transfer to food prices.
The increase in rates began early in the Lula administration. And continued in 2024. The last readjustment was last November, for the current 20%.
“Plastic has a 95%GDP correlation. It is in virtually every sectors. The consequence is the dissemination of higher prices in virtually all productive chains, ”said Roriz.
The government spent the tempted week explaining what it could do to reduce food prices in the country. Rising since mid -last year, prices respond mainly to increased demand and gearbox, which devalued 27% in 2024.
With the impetus of public spending, the economy grows above its capacity and pressures inflation. The confidence crisis triggered by the conduct of fiscal policy caused the US currency that was almost two months above R $ 6.00, further increasing the pressure on prices.
One of the hypotheses raised by the government is to reduce the import rate of foods that have higher prices in Brazil than in the international market. The measure has no immediate impact and raises more concerns about public accounts with government waiving revenues to try to lower prices.
Next week, the ministers called by President Lula to find a solution for food inflation will continue to meet with sectors of economic activity, but there is no expectation that they find effective measures that do not generate even more distrust of economic agents in the market and real economy.
