Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1473504
11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 JULY 2022 NEWS 9.5% do so once a week and 4.4% twice a week. Among pension- ers, 5% order food once a week. The survey does not give an explanation for this genera- tional shift but it is very likely a question of technological savvy – the inability to use a smart- phone app and relative card payment – and possibly spend- ing power. Another factor could be the fear of opening up your house to a complete stranger, especially among seniors. On a geographical basis, in Gozo the frequency with which food courier services are used is higher than anywhere else. While, 45.4% of people living in Gozo never make use of these services, 7.8% do so at least three times a week and 9.8% twice a week. However, only 16% make use of food couriers once a week. The Northern region is where these services appear to be most popular. This region is the one with the lowest percentage of non-users (37.3%) and the high- est percentage of those who or- der food by courier once a week (29.8%). Additionally, 4.6% do so three times a week and 3.4% twice a week. The largest population of non-users is found in the West- ern region, where 64% never use food courier services. Clear no to fuel and electricity price hikes KURT SANSONE MALTA'S inflation remains the lowest in the Eurozone as a result of government's direct intervention to cushion fuel and electricity prices despite the cost to public coffers. This interventionist policy was spurred by Russia's inva- sion of Ukraine that sent food and energy prices skyrocket- ing. And it seems that the Maltese public is unwilling to share the burden of higher fuel and en- ergy prices. A MaltaToday survey that asked whether fuel and elec- tricity rates should increase because of the circumstances caused by the war, unsurpris- ingly found that 85.3% disa- greed. Only 7.5% believe that ordi- nary people should shoulder part of the war-induced bur- den and another 7.2% could not reply. The message to Finance Min- ister Clyde Caruana is une- quivocally clear: continue sub- sidising fuel and electricity. This sentiment is reflected almost uniformly across all age groups and all regions. It is only in Gozo, where a sig- nificantly higher proportion agree with raising fuel and electricity when compared to other regions. In Gozo, 24.5% agree that prices should rise but 64.2% disagree. Political allegiance does not make a difference to the re- plies. The survey shows that 83% of Labour voters and 89.3% of PN voters do not agree with price hikes.