President Abdel Fattah El Sisi threatens military trials for Egyptians as bread price limits return amid regional energy shocks

The Egyptian government has officially intervened in the nation’s bakeries to dictate the cost of bread as citizens face a renewed squeeze on their daily survival. This aggressive regulatory move by the trade ministry comes as a direct response to a recent spike in fuel costs which saw gasoline prices jump by 30 percent and cooking gas by 22 percent. With energy markets volatile due to the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran, the state is moving quickly to preempt a total cost of living collapse.

Under the new directives, every bakery across Egypt is legally required to transparently display both the weight and the price of their loaves at the storefront. This is not merely a bureaucratic suggestion but a strictly enforced mandate. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has heightened the stakes by warning that any merchant or baker found manipulating prices to exploit the public will be referred to military courts for prosecution.

While current inflation sits at 13.4 percent, a significant improvement from the devastating 40 percent peak seen in August 2024, the Egyptian public remains economically fragile. For many households, the memory of that peak crisis remains a source of deep financial trauma. By capping the price of the country’s most essential food staple, the administration is attempting to provide a safety net for a population that has already seen the value of its savings eroded by years of economic instability.