Hani Baḥṣalī, the head of the Syndicate of Food Importers, indicated that "the local economy staggers, despite the summer vitality that made a qualitative difference but was not based on solid facts." Baḥṣalī added in an interview with "Voice of Lebanon": "We do not agree with the overall reports of the World Bank that emphasize that Lebanon topped the list of countries most affected by food price inflation, as prices have remained stable in 2023."