Inflation the fastest-growing concern among Russians, poll finds

Inflation the fastest-growing concern among Russians, poll finds
A Russian supermarket. / A.Savin, CC BY-SA 3.0
By Henry Kirby in London February 3, 2016

Inflation is the fastest-growing concern among Russians, a poll by state-owned research institute VTsIOM has found, despite recent evidence it is slowing below 10%. 

The poll, published on January 2, found that 20% of respondents saw inflation as the biggest problem facing Russia, up from only 12% in December last year.

The most popular answer, at 23%, was the economy in general, with wages and unemployment following at 13% and 12%, respectively.

Ironically, the sharp increase in respondents who consider inflation to be the biggest problem for Russia comes just after Russia recorded in December its lowest inflation figure for 2015 at 12.9%. And on January 25 the central bank said in a report growth that consumer prices in Russia are expected to continue to slow in January with annual inflation forecast to drop to 9.7-10%. 

2015's price increases were likely exacerbated by the continued decreases in income that Russians have suffered for well over a year. December saw real wages fall by 10% compared with the same month a year earlier, following a trend of 7-11% monthly decreases throughout 2015.

According to VTsIOM the top three chosen answers to the poll, which has been conducted every month for the last year, have been of an economic nature.

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