The 1 euro hamburger, now costs 1.85

Until 2022, and for more than 10 years, a hamburger chain sold one of theirs for 1 euro. Today, it costs 1.85. This is one of the clearest examples of inflation. And your salary, has it increased by 85% in 3 years? This is one of the best examples of the loss of purchasing power.

Now, inflation has once again soared to 3.3%. What does it mean? That prices have increased by 3.3% compared to March of last year. And everything points to it continuing to rise. We can think that, over time, inflation will go down again. And it will be so, but that doesn't mean prices will fall, but rather that their rise will simply slow down.

The big question is whether, with this price increase, we will maintain purchasing power. In 2026, pensions have risen by 2.7%, civil servants' salaries by 1.5%, and private salaries are expected to rise by 3%. It should be taken into account that, to decide the increases for 2027, in the case of pensions, the average for 2026 is used, and in the case of salaries, agreements between the parties. The higher the inflation, the more the salary should rise for 2027.

The underlying problem is that wages and pensions tend to react after prices have already risen. First life becomes more expensive and, in the end, it is regulated, but in the meantime families have already absorbed the loss of purchasing power. An inflation of 3.3% may seem moderate when compared to the peaks of recent years. But the problem is not just the figure for one month, but the accumulated effect. When prices rise year after year, even if it is "only" 2%, 3% or 4%, the impact on daily life is enormous if income does not follow the same rhythm. That is why many families today have the feeling that they work the same, earn more on paper, but arrive worse off at the end of the month. And this feeling is not psychological. It is mathematical.