It was among a host of measures transforming Malta’s COLA, which will now include new mechanisms to aid vulnerable people and include government workers.

Set through a mechanism that was established in the early 1990s following an agreement by social partners, the COLA has so far fluctuated between a low of 58c a week (2015) and a high of €5.82 a week (2010).

However, as a result of the ongoing global cost of living crisis, it has increased substantially for the first time in years.

Still, there are concerns about how Maltese businesses will react to the increase.

​​A survey by the Malta Employers Association among 330 employers, reflecting around 400 companies, found that only 28% expect to absorb the costs of the COLA themselves.

Half of them will partially increase their prices to cover the increase in cost, while 22% will pass the entire cost to consumers.

What do you think of the increase?