The number of people queuing to buy bread increased by 60 percent in one year
Mersin University Faculty Members of Economics and Management Sciences Prof. Dr. Erkan Aktaş, Prof. Dr.İhsan Kamalak and Assoc.Prof.Dr. İlkay Yılmaz’s investigation into public bread queues in Mersin revealed the extent of poverty that has increased in recent years.
As a result of the research, the total rate of those who said their purchasing power had decreased reached 85 percent.
Teacher. Dr. Erkan Aktaş, Prof. Dr. İhsan Kamalak and Assoc. Dr. İlkay Yılmaz evaluated the results of his research among consumers of public bread produced by the municipality in the article titled “Economic crisis and public bread queues: example of Mersin.”
The researchers interviewed 442 household members, 188 women and 254 men, who bought bread at kiosks in Mersin Metropolitan Municipality.
A SURVEY STUDY WAS CONDUCTED ON 442 PEOPLE
In the introduction part of the scientific research, an evaluation was carried out regarding the study method. Noting that economic crises can significantly reduce the real incomes of the general population and especially low-income groups, the following opinions were included in the presentation:
“Accurate and reliable statistics on inflation and unemployment help us understand these negative effects of economic crises. In an environment where economic statistics are distrusted, economists and social scientists can look for alternative indicators. This study investigated whether the queues that appeared in front of public bread sales points in 2022 were a reflection of the economic crisis.
Survey study conducted with 442 people waiting in bread queues in front of public bread outlets of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality in August 2022; “It has been shown that the majority of those waiting in these lines are low-income people and that people prefer bread mainly because of its low price.”
THEY WAIT AN AVERAGE OF 35 MINUTES
20.4 percent of participants in the scientific study said they had a minimum wage, 56.1 percent said they had income below the minimum wage and 23.5 percent said they had income above the minimum wage minimum. 45.5 percent of those queuing to buy bread said their purchasing power had decreased significantly in recent years, and 39.6 percent said it had decreased. The overall rate of those who said their purchasing power had decreased was 85 percent. 62.2 percent of participants stated that they preferred public bread because it was cheap.
The average distance between the home of the survey participants and the point of sale was calculated at 652 meters. It was determined that 54.5 percent of those waiting in line walked at least half a kilometer to reach the public bread sales point, and about a quarter walked at least one kilometer.
The average waiting time for a person in line in front of the public bread sales point was calculated to be approximately 35 minutes. While the rate of people who waited in line for more than a quarter of an hour approached two-thirds, the rate of people who waited more than an hour exceeded 10 percent.
COST OF PUBLIC ACCESS TO BREAD
In the investigation, the following evaluation was carried out on the cost of public access to bread:
“Although the cost of access to public bread is sold at a lower price, the cost in time and space of public bread is greater for consumers than other alternatives. The time cost is the time the consumer spends getting to the public point of sale of bread, waiting in line to buy the bread, and returning home after buying the bread; The cost of space refers to the physical effort and discomfort that the consumer invests in this process.
For the consumer, these costs become more important as his income increases and the proportion of the goods he consumes in total income decreases, and they become less important as his income decreases and the proportion of the goods he consumes in total income decreases. total income increases.
The most important factors that determine the decision of the consumer who has to choose between a public bread, which is cheap but has a high cost of time and space, and a bread that is sold at a higher price but has a cost of time and space much smaller; household income, the relationship between the monetary cost of bread and household income, the difference in quality and price between public bread and other breads, and the comparison of time and space costs.
In this context, respondents were asked how long they have been consuming public bread, how many days of the week they buy public bread, whether they can find all the bread they need at public bread outlets and whether they are bothered by “the environment while “waiting for bread in line, as well as the walking distance to public bread outlets and public bread queues. Waiting times were also asked.”
60 PERCENT OF THEM HAVE BEEN LINEUP FOR THE LAST YEAR
It was also asked how long respondents had been waiting in line in front of public bread outlets to buy public bread.
The fact that approximately 60 percent of participants began waiting for bread in public lines a year ago or less is consistent with observations that economic conditions have deteriorated, especially in recent years, and that there have been significant impoverishment in society.