Netherlands food prices up 11%; Highest increase in decades

Consumers in the Netherlands paid 11 percent more for food in June than a year earlier, meaning that food prices increased more than the overall inflation of 8.6 percent. The last time food prices rose by more than 10 percent over a year was in 1976, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported on Wednesday.

Food prices increased in all categories in June 2022. Meat and fish saw the most significant increase at 15 percent. A piece of meat cost over 16 percent more in June than a year earlier. Fish prices rose 10 percent. Dairy products also saw a big price increase at 14 percent, with butter prices increasing the most.

According to CBS, higher food prices often follow a rise in producer prices. Prices at food manufacturers have been rising for some time and increased by almost 23 percent in May 2022 compared to a year earlier. The main culprit for this is the Russian war in Ukraine, pushing energy prices higher and higher.

The food price increases in the European Union in June are not yet known. In May, the Netherlands’ food price increase was around the EU average. Price increases in Belgium were slightly lower than in the Netherlands, and in Germany, a bit higher. Eastern European countries, in particular, saw higher food price increases than the Netherlands.