Major Disparity in Price Levels of Food in EU Member States
In 2012, the price level1 of a comparable basket of food and non-alcoholic beverages was more than twice as high in the most expensive EU27 Member State than in the cheapest one. Denmark had the highest price level for food and non-alcoholic beverages in the EU27 in 2012, at 143% of the EU27 average, followed by Sweden (124%), Austria (120%), Finland (119%), Ireland(118%) and Luxembourg (116%). The lowest price levels were observed in Poland(61%), Romania (67%), Bulgaria (68%) and Lithuania (77%).
These data come from a report issued by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. The results refer to the survey on food, beverage and tobacco prices carried out in 2012 in the 37 participating countries. This survey covered a total of approximately 500 comparable products.
Data are also available for more detailed breakdowns of food products. For bread and cereals, price levels ranged from 57% of the EU27 average in Bulgaria to 159% in Denmark; for meat from 55% in Poland to 132% in both Denmark and Austria; and for milk, cheese & eggs from 63% in Polandto 141% in Cyprus.
The price levels for alcoholic beverages ranged from one to more than two and a half. The lowest price levels for alcoholic beverages were registered in Bulgaria (67% of the EU27 average), Romania (75%), Hungary (79%) and Germany (82%), and the highest in Finland (175%), Ireland(162%), Sweden (161%) and the United Kingdom (143%).
