Food prices continue to rise at the start of spring with inflation which reaches 4.35%. Certain foods, such as chocolate and beef, still record spectacular increases.
As every month, we take stock of supermarket inflation thanks to the RTL info-testhats basket which follows the price of more than 3,000 basic products in 7 supermarket chains. Unfortunately, inflation continues its curve and reached, for the first time since the beginning of 2025, the 4.35%.
What are the most increased products?
In the top three of the products most affected by inflation, we find that chocolate products:
– dark chocolate (+47%)
– milk chocolate (+38%)
– Chocolate cookies (+22%).
Besides chocolate, we also find orange juices (+19%). Beef also appears in the list of highlights.
“We see in our basket that the steak costs today 18 % more than last year. A one -kilo steak today costs an average of 22.23 euros at the supermarket. A year ago, you pay 19.24 euros“Explains Julie Frère, spokesperson for testacles. Beef stew (+12 %) and the American (+13 %) have also become more expensive.
How to explain this increase in the price of beef?
The main engine increase in prices lies in the accelerated reduction in the number of cattle in Europe, as explained by Julie Brother: “En 2024, the European livestock recorded an annual drop of 3 %, compared to 1 % a year earlier. Since mid-2024, the health context has played an important role in the accentuation of these developments, this is explained by two major diseases that hit cattle in our country last year: the catarrhale ovine and IBR virus, IBR, a viral respiratory infection“.
Catarrhale ovine fever has, for example, led to an increase in the mortality of cattle and a decrease in the number of births (abortions, heat delays, temporary infertility, …) in Belgium.
“There was therefore much less cattle last year to meet demand. The fact that there are fewer breeders and that the livestock is therefore structurally smaller means that the price increase should continue“Adds the testate spokesperson.
Products that have dropped the most
Fortunately for our wallet, some foods have dropped, this is the case:
– mangoes (-5%)
– Fish sticks (- 4%)
– Fry oil (-4%)
– Mushrooms (-4%)
– dishwashing liquid (-4%)
– bread (-3%)
Overall, our basket has increased significantly since we calculate inflation in 2022. “We have been calculating the inflation of our basket of more than 3,000 products for over 3 years. And our basket is always 30% more expensive than in January 2022, months during which inflation exceeded 2% for the first time“Underlines Julie Brother.
Since January 2022:
– dark chocolate increased by 83%
– Le ketchup of 77%
– 71% mustard
– olive oil of 63% RTL info basket Inflation Price Purchases
