The basket of 40 products surveyed by La Voz in Córdoba city chains rose only 1.03% in June, the smallest increase of 2024 and evidence of disinflation. The monthly expense for a typical family reached $608,480, just $6,200 above May, the second consecutive month with almost imperceptible increases. Of the 40 items analyzed, fifteen dropped in price, six repeated values, and nineteen increased by less than 2%.
With June's slight variation, the basket climbed 15% in the semester, well below any similar record from the last three years. Measured against June 2023, the increase was 28.5%, a figure that consolidates the disinflationary process started after the change in economic policy. The new drop in fruits and vegetables cushioned the moderate increases in dairy, groceries, and cleaning products, containing the overall index.
"The average increase in food and beverages was around 1.2% with very aggressive promotions to attract customers," said Víctor Palpacelli, vice president of Casac. The executive admitted that consumption is improving slowly and that the loss of units sold fell from 6% to 4.7% year-on-year. According to him, although wages are still lagging behind, the cooling of prices is beginning to reactivate cautious demand.
Sustained disinflation drives purchases and reinforces Milei's economic plan
The Córdoba data accompanies the national inflation for May, which stood at 1.5%, the lowest in five years according to Indec and celebrated by the Government. The year-on-year variation of the price index fell to 43.5%, a level unthinkable without the fiscal discipline applied since December. The primary surplus and currency liberalization stabilized the peso and stopped the inertia, generating more confidence in store aisles and businesses.
For economist Gustavo Reyes, the combination of fiscal anchor and greater external competition explains why food prices are now rising at a single-digit annualized rate. Reyes highlighted that chains are adjusting margins and offering discounts, and stated that "the worst cycle of price increases is behind us." Consultancies such as EcoGo and FIEL project that July inflation will remain below 2%, consolidating a historically low quarter.
If these forecasts are met, Córdoba's retail index would close 2024 with the first single-digit rate in decades. The national Government rightly insists that balancing public accounts and opening markets is the only sustainable path, a policy already visible on store shelves. With minimal increases and constant offers, Córdoba families are finding tangible relief at the supermarket, a visible symbol of the new national economic stage.
