Subsidized bread to cost consumers more dough

The price of government-subsidized bread will increase by an average of 6.53 percent on Tuesday, the Labor, Industry and Trade Ministry announced Monday.

Under the new prices, a 750 gram loaf of white bread would cost 5.24 NIS instead of 4.92 NIS, and the price of a 750 g. loaf of brown bread would cost 7.87 NIS instead of 7.38 NIS.

A ministry statement said the change was made to reflect increased wheat and fuel prices, which have raised production costs.

The increase is significantly higher than the three percent announced after a meeting last month between baking industry leaders and representatives from the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

A ministry spokesman told Ynet radio that the bakers had requested the increase.

Supermarket chains Rami Levi, Mega and Shufersal all said they would wait some time before changing their prices. Shufersal and Mega announced they would do this after the Jewish New Year holiday of Rosh Hashana in mid-September, and Rami Levi said it would wait until after the Sukkot holiday in mid-October.