With the implementation of new bread prices in Tehran on Saturday, June 27, a new wave of concern has emerged over increasing economic pressure on low-income households and the working class. As bread is considered the primary staple food for a large segment of society, higher prices could have a direct impact on food security and the livelihoods of millions of Iranian citizens.
Hamidreza Rastgar, head of the Tehran Chamber of Guilds, announced the implementation of new bread prices for both subsidized bakeries and those selling bread at market prices, stating that the new rates would take effect on Saturday. However, many citizens say they have experienced higher bread prices at bakeries since late June, despite the absence of any prior official announcement from the government.
Mohammad Javad Karami, head of the Flour and Bread Working Group, announced last Tuesday that, under a decision by the Tehran Governorate, the price of bread made with government-subsidized flour had increased starting on the evening of June 22.
However, field reports indicate that at many bakeries, actual prices are even higher than the officially announced rates, forcing customers to purchase bread at prices above the approved levels.
Economic experts believe that, unlike many other goods, rising bread prices have a direct and widespread impact on low-income households because bread remains the primary—and in many cases the cheapest—source of calories for millions of Iranian families.
Particular attention has focused on the increase in the price of lavash, the most common and widely accessible bread consumed by workers and low-income families. The price of this type of bread has increased by approximately 440% over the past two years.
During the same period, workers’ wages have increased by only slightly more than 100%, a gap that observers say reflects the continued decline in purchasing power and the shrinking ability of working-class households to afford basic necessities.
The increase in bread prices comes as many families were already facing serious financial hardship due to rising housing, healthcare, transportation, and food costs. Now, the higher price of a food item that holds a fundamental place in the Iranian diet has further intensified concerns about worsening poverty and food insecurity.
When even bread, the most basic consumer staple, is subjected to such significant price increases, the consequences extend far beyond a simple price adjustment. It is a sign of mounting economic pressure on the daily lives of millions of Iranians, many of whom spend a large share of their income on meeting only their most basic living needs.
