Grocery shopping has become a constant exercise in calculation for many families. Although overall inflation eased slightly in April, Filling the fridge is still more expensive. than a year ago, especially when it comes to basic products like eggs, meat or fresh vegetables.
According to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), Eggs are 14,7% more expensive today than a year agoThis increase has moderated in recent months, but it keeps this food among those that put the most pressure on household budgets.
Eggs, the main culprit behind the rise in the shopping basket
The egg, a product present in practically every home due to its versatility and historically affordable price, It has jumped 14,7% year-on-yearAlthough its monthly variation in the last month has been practically flat (with a slight decrease of 0,1%), the accumulated price increase over twelve months remains very significant.
The CPI data shows that this increase is among the highest of the food shopping basketIn fact, eggs are listed alongside products like beef or fresh legumes in the group of foods that are most increasing the cost of the supermarket bill.
This price behavior occurs in a context where, unlike other items that have begun to become cheaper, The egg price still maintains a clearly upward trend compared to last year. However, the pace is now much more moderate than at the end of the previous year, when it registered year-on-year increases of over 30%.
In practice, for a household that buys several dozen eggs a month, The annual additional cost can be significantespecially when added to the rising cost of other basic necessities like meat or fish.
How do the rest of the basic foods behave?
The surge in egg prices is not an isolated phenomenon. The INE (National Institute of Statistics) places the Beef among the most inflationary foods of the last year, with a year-on-year increase of 13,3%. In other words, beef costs considerably more today than it did twelve months ago, and each trip to the supermarket continues to make it more expensive.
The fresh legumes and vegetableswhich have become 11,5% more expensive in a year. In addition to that annual increase, April saw one of the largest monthly spikes: 5% more in just one month, which is immediately noticeable in the price of fresh vegetables.
El fresh and frozen fish It follows the same trend: it shows a year-on-year increase of 8,7%, and in the last month it has become 1,6% more expensive. Lamb, meanwhile, is up 9% compared to the previous year, with a monthly variation of 1%.
In contrast, some food products offer some relief to the wallet. oils and fats Prices have fallen by 5,4% year-on-year; sugar is 2,5% cheaper, potatoes and potato products 1,2%, and pork 0,3%. These decreases, while not fully offsetting the increases in other products, slightly soften the overall impact on the shopping basket.
Fruits and dairy products: a small respite in the shopping cart
In the last month, one of the most striking changes has occurred in the fruitsOn a monthly basis, their price has fallen by 2,5%, and over the last year, they have decreased by 2,8%. This means that, at least in this category, consumers are finding slightly lower prices today than they were twelve months ago.
In the case of the milkThe data for April reflects a 0,5% monthly drop, while dairy products as a whole fell by 0,2% in the last month, although they maintain a slight year-on-year increase of 1,9%. These are very moderate variations compared to the performance of other staple foods.
Other items such as mineral water, soft drinks and juices rose by only 2% year-on-year, and alcoholic beverages advanced by 1,1%, thus remaining within a range of relatively contained increases in contrast to the strong increases seen in eggs, beef, and fresh vegetables.
In the set of 24 feeding rubrics According to the INE (National Institute of Statistics), only five items have become cheaper in the last year: oils and fats, fresh fruit, sugar, potatoes, and pork. The rest, to a greater or lesser extent, have seen price increases.
The global impact on the shopping basket
Looking at the food as a whole, the picture is clear: Eating at home is more expensive than a year ago. Prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages rose 2,6% compared to April of last year and 0,2% compared to March.
Translated into real-world spending, a family that spent €100 a week on groceries a year ago would now pay, on average, around €102,6 for the same products. But this average increase masks significant differences: in households where [the following items are more important]: eggs, beef or fresh fish, the increase can be quite a bit higher.
In cities like Vigo and throughout the region, the effect is noticeable in both supermarkets and small shops. The combination of sharp increases in animal protein and in fresh products This makes the final ticket price increase, even when some specific items, such as fruit or oil, provide some breathing room.
The consumer thus finds himself in a scenario where he must readjust his habits: opting for products on sale, growing vegetables at home either change brands or reduce the frequency of purchases of some foods that have risen more intensely, while in other cases they take advantage of occasional price drops to fill the pantry.
Beyond food: what about the rest of the prices
Although the focus is on supermarkets, the rising cost of living extends far beyond food. The overall CPI for April stands at... 3,2% year-on-year, two tenths less than the previous month, thanks mainly to the lower cost of electricity and despite the rise in fuel prices.
Among the components that contribute most to the upward trend are the liquid fuelswhich rose 51,7% in one year, and diesel, with 28,2%. Jewelry and wristwatches (+28%), garbage collection (+26,8%) and combined passenger transport (+26,6%) also saw strong increases.
On the downhill side, the international air transport Fuel oil is 18,9% cheaper, butane and propane are 16,4% cheaper, and natural gas is 9,6% cheaper. These are significant decreases, but they do not fully offset the sharp increases in liquid energy and other services.
Underlying inflation—which excludes energy and fresh food—is at 2,8% year-on-year, one-tenth of a point lower than in March. This data indicates that, discounting the most volatile components, inflationary pressure on the rest of the goods and services is gradually moderating.
At the same time, other everyday expenses are also rising: urban public transport, tourism, hospitality or certain educational items increase the cost of daily life, although to a lesser extent than fuels or some fresh products.
The result of all these movements is a scenario in which the shopping basket and several essential services They weigh more heavily on the family budget, forcing a readjustment of priorities and a scrutiny of every expense.
The picture painted by the April CPI is one of an economy where overall inflation is slowing slightly, but where basic products such as Eggs, beef, and fresh vegetables continue to become significantly more expensive.While some items, such as fruits, oils, or certain energy supplies, offer some relief, the overall cost of food and living continues to rise, resulting in a very clear feeling for the consumer: increasingly, one has to do more math to make the supermarket shopping cart fit within one's budget.
