Effect of compulsory savings system on non-durable consumer prices: An applied study in Erbil for 2015 and 2017

Abstract

There is no doubt that the level of consumer goods prices plays an important role in determining the trends of demand، the level of satisfaction، economic and social welfare of the consumer، and that the study of such a subject is very important، especially in countries that suffer from political، economic، administrative and legal crises، as the case in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Therefore، the research analyzes the impact of the compulsory savings system on the level of prices of a sample of non-durable consumer goods in the city of Erbil. A number of conclusions were reached.1- The shops selling non-durable consumer goods suffer from many problems، such as the instability of the exchange rate، the compulsory saving system، delayed payment of salaries and the low quality of goods.2 - Non-durable consumer goods group (87.5%) recorded a decline in prices، because of the compulsory savings system and delayed payment of salaries.3. The results showed that the percentage of the decrease in prices of non-durable consumer goods (10.66%) was lower than the average percentage of deductions in salaries of employees and all categories (47.14%).4 - The results reflected that the number of Turkish goods in the markets of the city of Arbil comes first and relative importance (41.93%). A number of proposals have been reached.1- Activating economic policies to address imbalances in the productive structure، and work on expanding the production base، so that the production system is flexible، and can compete with foreign goods.2- Diversify the import ports from the countries of the world، in order to face any sharp fluctuations in the quantity and quality of imported goods and for any reason.3- Activating the commercial control committees at the level of the various administrative units، especially in the border crossings to follow up the quality and history of the validity of the goods. 4- Review the compulsory savings system، either cancel it، or reduce the percentage of deductions from the salaries of employees.Keywords: compulsory savings system، non-durable consumer goods prices، Erbil city.