Although the rise in food prices has moderated in recent months, some are still priced significantly higher than three years ago. This is reflected in a study published by the Organization of Consumers and Users, which concludes that the shopping basket is 38% more expensive than in 2020.
The OCU has observed how the prices of 122 basic products have evolved between December 2020 and December 2023 in seven large chains, which are Alcampo, Carrefour, Condis, Dia, El Corte Inglés, Eroski and Mercadona. This has allowed the organization to know how much they have increased in each supermarket in the last three years. It has also compared its retail price with those paid to its producers.
To no one’s surprise, olive oil is the food that has become the most expensive, according to this analysis: no less than 225% compared to its price in 2020. It is followed by white sugar (91%), orange juice ( 81%), half a dozen M size eggs (67%), round rice (66%) and carrots (65%).
The most moderate increases – which, however, are above 20% – are recorded in fruits and vegetables, notes the OCU. Meats, fish, pasta or preserves experience very similar increases, all between 34% and 47%. “In all supermarket chains they have followed a similar evolution, with increases that range between the 32% that Dia has applied and the 45% in Carrefour,” they point out.
But they highlight that Carrefour has become one of the most expensive, only surpassed by El Corte Inglés, when it was among the cheapest.
The study also reflects that prices at points of sale can multiply up to six times those received by farmers and ranchers. Tomatoes, potatoes, onions, chicken and eggs rose much more in percentage at origin than in the supermarket, while lettuce, beef, pork belly, oranges, carrots and rabbit rose the same percentage at origin and destination. Two that have become much more expensive in the store than originally are apples and bananas, they add.
The OCU warns that the measures that the Government has taken against the increase in the price of the shopping basket, such as the reduction in VAT, are not enough, “because other factors such as poor harvests, production costs or tensions have a greater impact geopolitics”.
Given this situation, the agency demands urgent measures to alleviate the difficulties of households. They propose, for example, that the VAT reduction be extended to meat and fish or that the check of 200 euros be substantially increased for families with incomes of less than 27,000 euros.
They also ask for extreme vigilance in compliance with the Food Chain Law and for distributors to try to contain their marketing margins.
