The Turkish public has voiced concerns over skyrocketing food costs, saying an increasing number of schoolchildren are being deprived of basic nutrition, the Gazete Duvar news website reported.
According to a comparative study by Mahir Polat, a Republican People’s Party (CHP) MP, the cost of essential food items that would normally be in a school lunchbox has increased by at least 42 percent over the past year. A typical diet and a lunchbox for a student now costs at least TL 669 ($19)—more than double its cost in 2022. This comes as 21 million students across Turkey prepare to return to school on September 9.
Polat reminded that the government has cut lunch support for 5 million students, warning that basic food items are becoming increasingly out of reach. “One in four children in Turkey already goes to school hungry,” Polat said.
Prices for basic school lunch staples like bananas, apples, cheese and milk have risen dramatically. The cost of a single banana has surged over 81 percent, apples have increased nearly 67 percent and other essential items such as cheese and eggs have seen similar spikes. The price of a simple lunchbox has soared by 126 percent compared to 2023, further compounding the problem for families.
In a street interview circulating on X, a mother of four shared her struggles, saying she can no longer afford to include nutritious foods like meat or vegetables in her children’s lunchboxes.
“All I can manage is pastry because it’s the cheapest,” she said.
Over the past several years Turkey has been suffering from a deteriorating economy, with high inflation and unemployment as well as a poor human rights record. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is criticized for mishandling the economy, emptying the state’s coffers and establishing one-man rule in the country where dissent is suppressed, and opponents are jailed on politically motivated charges.
A staggeringly high cost of living has become the new normal in Turkey, where recent increases in food and utility prices are pushing up inflation, further crippling the purchasing power of citizens.
A growing number of Turks have complained on social media about rising electricity bills and falling into debt. Many have said even basic foods such as vegetables have become a luxury as prices have risen by nearly 400 percent.
