Dairy Shortage Pushes Israeli Consumers to Pricier Cheese Options
Translated & summarized from Behadrei Haredim by baba
A shortage of regulated white cheese and cottage cheese in Israel, caused by holiday production halts, is forcing consumers to buy significantly more expensive unregulated cream cheese alternatives.
The story in 4 lines · by baba
- Holiday production halts caused white cheese and cottage cheese shortage.
- Consumers are forced to buy expensive cream cheese alternatives.
- Cream cheese prices are up to three times higher than regulated cheese.
- The Dairy Board had predicted the shortage.
Major Israeli dairies have experienced significant production losses due to the proximity of the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur holidays to weekends, leading to a prolonged halt in the production of white cheese and cottage cheese. This has resulted in empty shelves for these staple products.
While the price of white cheese is regulated and capped at NIS 5.87, consumers are now turning to unregulated alternatives like cream cheese. A price check reveals that a tub of Tnuva's "Napoleon" cream cheese can cost up to NIS 18.90, which is more than three times the price per 100 grams compared to the regulated white cheese. Other competitors offer similar pricing, with Strauss's "Symphony" ranging from NIS 7.70 to NIS 13.90, and cream cheeses from Tara and Gad reaching up to NIS 18.90, comparable to imported brands like Arla and Philadelphia.
The Israel Dairy Board had anticipated the shortage stemming from production interruptions. However, consumers are currently facing substantially higher costs at the checkout.
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