Here’s how Pakistan’s inflation is impacting consumer buying pattern

In Pakistan, the real value of income has been undermined by inflation, while high interest rates have raised the cost of borrowing.

Record inflation rates have dominated news for the past year, coupled with supply chain problems, material shortages, elevated fuel prices, and vegetable prices that increased by 500 per cent in September.

According to a poll by Pulse Consultant, which was conducted in August 2022, 78 per cent of Pakistanis think that their country’s economy is going on the wrong path. Inflation has affected 66 per cent of people hard, and 12 per cent of people say their expenses aren’t keeping up.

Pulse Consultant asked an open-ended question in a nationwide computer-assisted telephonic study in which more than 1,600 people across the country responded and revealed how they are dealing with the current wave of inflation.

The following are the areas where customers lowered their spending:

• Reduced Grocery Purchasing – 24 per cent
• Avoid Going Out – 18 per cent
• Stop Unnecessary Shopping – 16 per cent
• Reduced Fast Food – 10 per cent
• Reduced Overall Expenses -9 per cent
• Save Petrol – 7 per cent
• Reduced Children Expenses – 5 per cent
• Avoid Beauty Parlor / Salon – 3 per cent
• Save Electricity – 3 per cent
• Avoid Family Gatherings – 3 per cent
• Reduced Meat Consumption – 2 per cent

In Pakistan, CPI inflation increased to 27.3 per cent in August 2022 from 12.1 per cent in January 2022. There are a number of causes for the sudden rise in inflation, despite the fact that core inflation (excluding oil and food costs) is at 18 per cent. The incidence of imported inflation has increased as a result of the rupee’s depreciation. From April through August 2022, the rupee’s value against the US dollar decreased by around 23 per cent.

Pakistani currency is presently strengthening as a result of the restoration of the IMF package following its derailment last winter. Additionally, even though the oil bill still accounts for around 26–30 per cent of all imports, import reduction has improved the current account situation. The administration has promised to pass along any decrease in oil prices to the public.

The lag effect of the significant budget deficit experienced in the previous year is one of the other primary causes of the high level of inflation. In contrast to the 4.2 per cent agreed upon with the IMF, the budget deficit during the FY ending on June 30, 2022, reached as high as Rs6,900 billion, or about 9 per cent of GDP.

In addition, $20 billion in debt, as opposed to $53 billion between 2008 and 2018, was committed over the past four years. As a result, more money is being spent in pursuit of fewer commodities.

The challenges of recession and skyrocketing inflation are pretty much universal. Despite having low inflation rates, China and Japan’s economies are expected to slow down. Inflation is being fueled by earlier Covid and current high oil, gas, and commodity costs in the wake of the Ukraine war, which is slowing growth.