The Bank of Israel revealed on Sunday that the actual prices of disposable plasticware in the stores are 70% higher than required by the tax imposed on them by Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman in November 2021, Kan News reported. According to the report, an evaluation carried out by the bank on the effect of the tax on prices revealed that retailers took advantage of the tax and raised the prices beyond what was required. For example, if the tax required an increase of 13 shekels per kilogram, the store owners increased the price by 22 shekels. The report added that according to the evaluation, consumers found it difficult to determine the price increases the tax required since they are determined on the basis of weight – which cannot be precisely determined by consumers – a fact that facilitated the excessive increases in price. In response to the report, UTJ chairman Yitzchak Goldknopf said: “Today we received more proof that the outrageous tax on disposables imposed by the outgoing finance minister must be revoked.” “It turns out that the large retail chains took advantage of the fact that consumers had no idea how much prices were supposed to increase – and raised the prices by almost double the tax rate, burdening Israeli citizens who are groaning under the cost of living.” Interestingly, Lieberman, who claimed he was imposing the tax due to concerns about the environment, focused solely on disposables and ignored much more grievous environmental offenders. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

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