Austria food prices: Selected basket of goods 9% cheaper

A price comparison study conducted by the Vienna Chamber of Labour (Arbeiterkammer Wien) shows that a basket of 40 selected food and cleaning products is approximately 9% cheaper than in the previous year. The cost of the basket dropped from nearly 82 euros to around 74 euros.

Significant price decreases were observed in butter, which fell by 37%, followed by penne pasta (19%), Gouda cheese and frozen fries (14% each), mineral water (12%), and apples (11%). Officials noted that the reduction in VAT for basic food items from 10% to 4.9% on July 1st contributed to these lower prices.

However, the trend was not universal. While 23 items became cheaper, 15 items saw price increases. Table vinegar recorded the highest increase at 29%, while potatoes, liquid detergent, eggs, tomatoes, and soap also rose in price. Additionally, branded food products saw an average price increase of 5.3% compared to the previous year. The study also highlighted a price gap between supermarket chains like Billa, Spar, and Interspar, which were found to be on average 11% more expensive than discount retailers such as Hofer, Lidl, and Penny.