By Alexander Kobaltov
In Belarus, even after last year’s economic collapse, the picture looks quite favourable, with just 45.6 percent of income spent on food. Of course, this indicates standards of living. A nation’s ‘disposable income’ is a clear factor in citizens’ degree of contentment.
In addition, the average family in Belarus spends 34.9 percent of its income on non-food items; services account for 16.8 percent, although urban and rural residents do spend rather differently.
Looking at total consumer spending on food, sausages and smoked meats account for the major share (13.3 percent), followed by bread (7.2 percent);vegetables and gourds are next in line (7.1 percent) followed by fruits and berries (6.6 percent), poultry (6.3 percent), and sugar and sweets (5.5 percent). Belarusians spend approximately 4.9 percent of their total income on pork based foods; 4.6 percent is spent on fish and fish products while 4 percent goes on tea, coffee and cocoa. Belarusians spend 4 percent on milk and 3.5 percent on pastries, cakes and biscuits.
