Reportage. The life of the Romanians, more expensive from one day to another. “You know that the VAT has been increased” / What psychological impact does prices increase
Romanians have to spend more for the same products, starting on Friday, August 1, since Law no. 141/2025. At the shelf, the increases were of a few tens of money, in the shops checked by Hotnews. However, there are increases on all levels: fuels, pharmacies, including bookstores.
- In a dialogue with Hotnews, a psychotherapist also explains how these increases affect us and what risks arise when daily living becomes more difficult to support.
Since Friday, August 1, Romanians live with more money. The changes announced by the Bolojan Government to reduce the deficit have entered into force.
Preparations for changes in all on Thursday, July 31, when Hotnews went to several shops, bookstores and pharmacies. In several places, the prices were reworked.
In a hypermarket, employees arranged the last details before changing the labels. “Tomorrow all the products are expensive,” said one of the employees. “We change them tonight, about 50 money, at cigarettes a lion. So, between 50 money and 1 lion will be the increase.”
What was the second day reality: more basic products had prices with about 20 higher money.
The price of rice Scotti for sarmale increased from 9.59 lei to 9.79 lei, and the classic ATI Carmolino rice climbed from 12.79 lei to 12.99 lei. Other products have remained unchanged. UNISOL oil continues to cost 8.99 lei, and oil from Grandma, 8.49 lei.
The potatoes had the same price as the previous day, 1.74 lei/kg, and the crystal white sugar remained at 3.99 lei.
Prices in pharmacies, updated late
In addition to VAT growth in food, VAT has increased and drugs-from 9% to 11%.
From today the drugs are expensive. How much will we pay for when we go to the pharmacy and where will be the “biggest shock”
On Thursday, in a pharmacy, the employee was talking about “enlargements to all products”. She said that changes will be known only after the system is updated.
On Friday morning, at the same pharmacies, the price update was not completed. “VAT modification”, wrote on the door of a pharmacy, at 10.00, two hours after opening.
“Unfortunately, you know that I can not free you a voucher because of the new VAT changes, it is not yet implemented in the system. It is probably the same in all pharmacies (in the group – no),” said the employee.
Propestion in bookstores: “A few extra lei for each book”
On Thursday, at a bookstore near Cișmigiu, the staff worked on adapting the prices for books, “the labels will be changed in the next two days,” explained a booklet.
At another bookstore, in the university area, the new prices had already been displayed, but written by hand.
“Tomorrow, pay the higher price, you know that VAT has been increased from 5% to 11%,” said one of the employees.
“I put the labels in advance because we have tens of thousands of titles. With a few extra lei for each book,” he continued.
What were the differences? On Thursday, “solenoid” by Mircea Cărtărescu was more expensive by about 5 lei. On July 31, the book costs 97 lei, and on August 1 – 102.54 lei.
Another book of Cărtărescu, “blinding” costs about 4 lei more: from 69, 90 lei on July 31, reached 73.89 on August 1.
The novel “Watching in the rye chain”, by JD Salinger, was expensive with 2 lei, reaching 36.95 lei. Also with almost 2 lei, the “process of communism through theater”, by Matei Vișniec, which now costs 31.66 lei.
What psychological impact do the increases have?
In front of price increases, Hotnews wanted to see what effects they can have at the psychological level.
“The specialized literature includes numerous studies that confirm that periods of financial, economic and social crisis are times when mental health problems increase in both intensity and frequency,” said Eugen Hriscu.
Such periods can lead to episodes of depression, anxiety or aggravation of existing mental disorders, believes the psychotherapist.
“The most exposed in this category are unskilled workers,” he points out.
“Unfortunately, the Romanian mental health system is completely unprepared to cope with these problems,” continues the psychojotherapist.
Therapy is for many inaccessible people, and with new increases this can be accentuated.
Thus, Hriscu says that there is a need for increased access to mental health services, in a form closer to people, less bureaucratic and less stigmatizing.
He proposes that this support will be available including through family doctors offices, and psychotherapy will become more accessible.
“The settlement of psychotherapy was low at the last rectification of CNAS tariffs”, draws the specialist, speaking of “a decision that goes in the opposite direction”.
An equally important pillar is community support. In the absence of a functional social network, people remain isolated in the face of economic or emotional difficulties.
“We need measures to encourage communities to function as a support mesh for individuals – supporting community activities, day centers, leisure programs, support groups,” says Hriscu.
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