Albania's households spend record 20% of GDP on food, highest in Europe

Eurostat data shows that in 2025 Albanian households allocated 20.4% of the country's nominal Gross Domestic Product to food purchases, a slight increase from 20.5% the previous year and the highest share among European nations. The proportion is more than three times the EU average of 6.2% and well above neighboring Balkan states, where food spending ranges from 12.8% in Serbia to 19.9% in Montenegro.

A study by economists Azmi Stringa, Idlir Gjata and Alban Korbi confirms that food price inflation in Albania has risen faster and more frequently than in the region despite a 30% appreciation of the lek. Families now spend roughly 40% of their income on food, matching price levels seen in wealthier EU countries such as the Netherlands and Spain, highlighting structural pressures on Albanian consumers.