Price hikes, not missiles, worry the Maltese most: Times of Malta poll
People fear the return of price hikes as the Iran conflict drags on
Most Maltese fear that the war in Iran will put a squeeze on their cost of living, ahead of all other concerns, a new Times of Malta poll has found.
Several locals also worry that the war will spread beyond the Middle East and lead to widespread supply shortages, pollsters found.
The poll, carried out by market research experts Esprimi, was carried out in early April, at a time when the standoff over access to the Strait of Hormuz was at its peak. Pollsters asked 600 people over the age of 16 to list their greatest worries linked to the war.
Just over half, 51 per cent, pointed to inflation as a top concern, making it comfortably the most pressing issue.
The findings likely reflect fears of a repeat of the Ukraine war situation, when inflation across Europe exploded, leading to sharp price hikes.
At the time, people in Malta frequently pointed to the rising cost of living as their biggest headache, with their concerns only easing in recent months as inflation dipped.
Maltese businesses have warned that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz could lead to price spikes across several crucial sectors, from food imports to medicines and semiconductors.
Growing concerns over energy and jet fuel shortages as the conflict is prolonged are likely to exacerbate these spikes. Authorities have sought to assuage fears by pledging to keep energy prices frozen to cushion the blow.
Worries over inflation cut across all demographics, the poll suggests, ranking as the top concern for people of all political affiliations and almost all ages.
The exception to the rule were people aged over 65, for whom the death of innocent people ranked as the top worry, narrowly ahead of inflation.
Aside from inflation, over a third of people surveyed said they were also worried about whether the conflict would spread across other regions (39 per cent) and whether it would lead to wider supply shortages (36 per cent).
Almost one in five (18 per cent) also said they were concerned about how the conflict would impact their own personal safety.
Respondents flagged several other issues as concerns, albeit to a lesser extent.
These included the prospect of disruption to international travel, the possibility of a humanitarian crisis, the war’s impact on job stability, and broader concerns over poor leadership during times of war.
A small group of respondents (four per cent) adopted a more stoic view, saying they are not worried at all by the ongoing war.