Bennett Unveils Cost-of-Living Plan Against Monopolies

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett unveiled a Beyachad cost-of-living plan that targets food monopolies, import barriers and competition bottlenecks. The party's platform says Israel ranks fifth in the OECD food cost index and argues that aligning food prices with the OECD average would save an average family about NIS 8,000 a year. The plan would force monopolies to divest brands, limit exclusive importers, restrain regional retail monopolies such as Shufersal, and add kosher-certification competition while keeping the Chief Rabbinate's authority. A 30% food-price reduction is Bennett's headline goal. The election fight is moving from personalities to household security, with farmers, kashrut and competition all on the table.