34% of Egyptians had to reduce their consumption of goods, especially food, according to Baseera, the Egyptian Centre for Public Opinion Research.
Baseera said that 84% of respondents in its poll said that their monthly household expenses rose following the recent rise in fuel and electricity prices.
Baseera added that 12% of respondents said they had to resort to additional work, while 6% borrowed money from relatives and friends, and 4% had to spend from their savings. Furthermore, 2% had to sell property.
Baseera pointed out that 63% of Egyptians said that the increase in fuel and electricity prices severely affected the prices of other commodities. 22% of respondents see that the fuel price increase slightly affected the other commodities, while 10% believe that the increase had no effect on the other commodities. About 5% responded that they don’t know.
The percent of respondents who believe that the increase has severely affected the other commodities was 61% in Lower Egypt and 63% in Upper Egypt. Moreover, the percent increased in urban governorates to reach 69%.
The results indicate that 66% of Egyptians do not agree with raising the price of fuel and electricity, compared to 25% who agreed with raising the prices of electricity and fuel, and 8% didn’t mention their opinion. Male respondents who are against the increase reached 61%, compared to 72% of females.
The results of the poll revealed that young people, at 80%, are the most reluctant to increase energy prices, compared to 53% of those aged 50 years old and over. The percentage of rejecters is 68% at the lower economic level, down to 62% in the higher economic level.
The poll was conducted through probability sampling and consists of 1,539 people in ages starting from 18 years old in all governorates.
By the end of June, the Egyptian cabinet approved an increase in the prices of petroleum products and natural gas, as follows: gasoline 80 from EGP 2.35 to EGP 3.65 per litre, petrol 92 from EGP 3.5 to EGP 5 per litre, diesel from EGP 2.35 to EGP 3.65 per litre. The price of gas metres for cars rose from EGP 1.6 to EGP 2. The price of gas cylinders rose from EGP 15 to EGP 30.
