Inflation in supermarkets rises to 12.5 %

An average shopping trolley in a Belgian supermarket was almost 12.5 % more expensive than a year earlier. Items like mustard, spaghetti and butter had almost a third added to their prices. The price gap with French supermarkets is widening.

Growing differences

Compared to July, prices were up by another 1 %, according to a new survey by consumer organisation Test-Aankoop. A family of two spends 48 euros more on the same shopping trolley than a year ago. The survey used the prices of 3000 essential food and household products in the stores of Albert Heijn, Aldi, Carrefour, Colruyt, Cora, Delhaize and Lidl.

However, there are large differences per product. Butter became 30 % more expensive, paper products such as toilet paper and kitchen roll became 33 % more expensive. The price of spaghetti rose by 35 %, mustard even by 36 %. The explanation is obvious: mustard seeds mainly come from Russia and the Ukraine.

Dairy prices up

Dairy products became 17 % more expensive: recently the prices for yogurt in particular increased, due to increased milk and energy prices and labour costs. This trend is likely to continue in the short term as Danone tries to implement major price increases – resulting in empty shelves at Delhaize and Lidl.

The exceptions in the shopping basket are few and far between. Only for vegetables (+ 5 %), fruit and chocolate (both + 4 %) price increases remained limited. Meanwhile, the prices of cereals and vegetable oils on the world market are falling, but it will take some time before this is also visible on the price tags.

Cross-border shopping

High inflation makes it more attractive for Belgian shoppers to shop abroad. The price differences with France are becoming enormous: the French government is taking drastic measures against inflation, which currently amounts to only 5.8 %. This lures Belgian bargain hunters across the border. The Auchan in Roncq has always been popular with West-Flanders shoppers, but is now being overrun by Belgians, local newspaper De Standaard reports. They do not only stock up on wine, water, soft drinks and detergent, but also fill up the tank, because petrol is cheaper thanks to a government discount on excise duties.

On the other hand, price differences with the Netherlands have narrowed as a result of fierce competition on the Belgian market. It was recently revealed that the prices for some major A brands in the Belgian Jumbo shops are significantly lower than in the Netherlands.