Paying for groceries today is about 18.5 percent more expensive than a year ago. This is evident from figures from market researcher Gfk. An unprecedented increase, says supermarket expert Paul Moers. “We haven’t seen this in decades.”
“Totally absurd.” With these words Moers describes the price increase of the past year. “It is getting completely out of hand. You will feel that 18.5 percent rock hard in your wallet.”
Gfk calculated that a family with two children will spend at least 1500 euros extra per year on groceries. “Add to that the energy prices, which also go through the roof. Then you understand that people are really going to suffer. You can buy lettuce washed and cut, but then you pay the main price.”
But is there nothing that can be done? “Not really for manufacturers and retailers,” says Moers. But for the customer there are some tricks:
- For example, switch to the private labels, which are sometimes 25 percent cheaper.
- Go to discounters like Lidl and Aldi, which also have good products.
- Buy fewer ready-made products. You can buy a head of lettuce washed and cut in a bag, but then you pay the main price. If you do it yourself, it’s a lot cheaper.
Helpful advice, but not enough to brush off the extra costs. “Absolutely not. And the future also looks uncertain. Unfortunately, the war in Ukraine continues. But the environment is also problematic. We are seeing more and more crop failures worldwide. Then such a ship departs with half a load, which increases transport costs. Fortunately, we can still do something about the environment, but that won’t be solved tomorrow.”
“I fear the end is not yet in sight.”
And so a further price increase is far from out of the question. “It can certainly increase further. Especially now that labor costs are also rising. I fear that the end is not yet in sight. Unfortunately, but I cannot make it more beautiful than it is.”
Does it still make sense to shop across the border, in Belgium or Germany? “The Netherlands is already one of the cheapest supermarket countries in Europe. So you don’t get much with that. Or you have to combine it with a refuelling. And Germany has one more advantage: we have all kinds of offers here all the time. The prices there are low as standard, so you don’t have to pay attention to anything, just a little more relaxed.”
Source: Omroep Brabant
For Eindhoven News: Lila Mehrez
