(ANSA) - ROME, DECEMBER 09 - In October, the index of social hardship calculated by Confcommercio rose to 17.6 (+0.3 over September).
In line with what was recorded in the last year - reads a note - the increase is attributable to the dynamics of the prices of goods and services with a high frequency of purchase, which in October recorded a change, on an annual basis, of 8, 9% against 8.4% in September.
Dynamics that have only been partially mitigated, in terms of social hardship, by the improvements recorded on the employment front.
Confcommercio also underlines that the indicator in the current formulation underestimates widespread unemployment in consideration of the impossibility of enucleating the number of discouraged and underemployed.
"The progressive erosion of disposable income - it continues - cannot fail to affect household behavior in the coming months, amplifying fears of a possible slowdown in demand and consequently the recovery and employment. Elements that could lead to a further expansion of the area of social unease in the first months of 2023".
(HANDLE).