Libya – Ahmed Al-Kurdi, head of the Libyan Consumer Protection Associations Union, said the rising prices of school supplies are part of a wider wave of inflation affecting many goods. He pointed to high transportation costs and a shortage of diesel fuel as leading reasons for record price increases ahead of the new school year.
Al-Kurdi told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the ongoing fuel shortage forces vehicle and transport owners to buy diesel on the black market at much higher prices. He explained that a liter of diesel costs between 8 and 10 dinars on the parallel market, compared with the official price of just 15 piastres. This large difference significantly drives up the cost of moving goods from production or import sites to the markets.
He stressed that this extra cost is not borne by transporters alone, but is ultimately passed on to consumers through higher prices. Al-Kurdi said traders add transportation expenses to the final price of products, including bags, clothing, stationery, and other school essentials. He warned that if these conditions persist, families will continue to face rising financial burdens with each new school year.