The Israeli economy and commercial sector have been significantly affected by the War of Iron Swords, as revealed in a report released by the Ministry of Economy. Food and household chemicals prices have increased by an average of 3% since the war began, with significant price hikes in early October and late January-early February. The cost of the “Passover basket of goods” has risen by an average of 4% compared to 2023.
Specialists from the Ministry of Economy compared prices for goods in the first week of April with average prices from July-September 2023. The report highlighted significant price increases for items such as olive oil, sun protection products, fresh fruit, canned food, cereal bars, fish, frozen meat, fresh vegetables, and canned vegetables.
The labor market has also been impacted by the war, with unemployment rates dropping by 10.5% in February but remaining twice as high as before the conflict. Despite this, there has been a gradual return to work, with thousands of people reentering the workforce each month.
The commercial sector experienced a decline in consumer spending on credit cards at the onset of the war but has gradually improved. Spending on various categories such as clothing, shoes
