Face masks are now part of Spain’s inflation index basket
Masks are widely worn in Spain, and are mandatory in most indoor public spaces. File Picture: Pexels
Spain has included the cost of facemasks in its list of articles to gauge inflation, in the latest example of the far-reaching impact of the pandemic.
The consumer price index basket is revised periodically and updated to “include new products whose consumption starts to be significant,” the national statistics institute said in a statement Monday. It also added online newspaper subscriptions, while dropping DVDs and compact discs.
Masks are widely worn in Spain, and are mandatory in most indoor public spaces. In late December, with the Omicron variant surging, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez reinstated a rule ordering masks to be used outdoors. The order is pending parliamentary approval.
Spain is struggling with inflation that is close to the highest in three decades. Prices climbed 6.1% rise in January.
The move comes amid a wider debate about the effectiveness of similar indices, including Ireland's CPI, for tracking the recent surge in energy and utility bills on the lowest income households.
The Central Bank here last week said that energy price hikes disproportionately affects the lowest income households who spend up to 18% of their income on heating, lighting and on petrol and diesel costs – more than double for the population as a whole.
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