The survey of the French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP), echoed by the newspaper Le Figaro, also shows a decrease in the amount of food consumed, due to the rise in prices.

According to the survey, 53 percent of those interviewed acknowledged they have reduced the portions they eat at meals, and a similar number said they buy less fruit and vegetables, a scenario that could potentially affect their health.

In this regard, two out of three French surveyed, out of a thousand participants with minimum wage or less, considered their health could present problems in the long term.

Students, retirees, large families and singles are among the categories hardest hit by inflation, which closed March with a year-on-year variation in food prices of 15.8 percent, after the 14.8 recorded in February.

Le Figaro published that other polls recently addressed the impact of the boom in the cost of products, such as the Harris Interactive study, which revealed that 57 percent of people consume less meat than three years ago.

ef/jav/ro/wmr