Sarah and Kader, a couple in their late twenties, were making their way out of the hypermarket on the first floor of the Rosny 2 shopping center. Kader, a tall and gentle man, was pushing their cart while Sarah expressed her frustration about the price of olive oil, exclaiming, “14 euros per liter? That’s outrageous! We can’t afford that.” Despite earning a combined net income of 4,000 euros per month (Kader as a teacher and Sarah as an employee at an insurance company), they were still feeling the pinch. They no longer had end-of-month anxiety but were still depriving themselves, especially when it came to items like olive oil, meat, vegetables, and household cleaning products. On this particular day, their half-filled cart for the week totaled 120 euros, leaving Sarah to conclude that it was all too expensive before they exited through the automatic doors.
The couple’s shopping basket no longer included items that were once staples in their home. Olive oil, meat, vegetables, and household cleaning products had become luxuries for them. Despite their relatively comfortable earnings, Sarah and Kader had to carefully consider their purchases, often feeling restricted by the rising cost of basic items. The stress of budgeting was still present though not as severe as before. As they walked out of the hypermarket with empty hands, Sarah couldn’t help but lament the high prices and how it impacted their weekly shopping budget. For them navigating the aisles of the hypermarket had become a balancing act between necessity and affordability.