OREANDA-NEWS. In 2015, the price level of a comparable basket of food and non-alcoholic beverages across the European Union (EU) was more than twice as high in the most expensive Member State than in the cheapest one.

Denmark had the highest price level for food and non-alcoholic beverages in the EU in 2015, at 145% of the EU average, followed by Sweden (124%), Austria (120%), Ireland and Finland (both 119%) and Luxembourg (116%). At the opposite end of the scale, the lowest price levels were observed in Poland (63%), Romania (64%), Bulgaria (70%), Lithuania (78%), the Czech Republic and Hungary (both 79%).

These data are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. The results refer to the survey on food, beverage and tobacco prices carried out in 2015 in 38 participating countries. This survey covered a total of approximately 440 comparable products.

Highest price disparities for tobacco

Comparative data on consumer price levels are also available for more detailed breakdowns of food products. For bread and cereals, price levels ranged from 53% of the EU average in Romania to 162% in Denmark; for meat from 54% in Poland to 137% in Denmark; and for milk, cheese & eggs from 65% in Poland to 140% in Cyprus.

The price levels for alcoholic beverages ranged from one to more than two and a half. The lowest price levels were registered in Bulgaria (64% of the EU average), Romania (72%) and Hungary (74%), and the highest in Ireland (175%), Finland (172%) and the United Kingdom (163%).

For tobacco, the price levels were almost four times higher in the most expensive Member State than in the cheapest. The lowest price levels were observed in Bulgaria (50% of the EU average), Croatia and Lithuania (both 56%), and the highest in the United Kingdom (218%), Ireland (189%) and France (127%).