Food prices rapidly rising in the Czech Republic: what are the most expensive items right now?

Food had the biggest influence on inflation after rising prices of rent, electricity, water, and sewerage. 

Vegetable prices were higher by 34.1% in July (22.7% in June), of which the prices of potatoes were higher by 65.7% (51.7% in June). Meat prices went up by 4.5% (3.9% in June), sausages and smoked meat by 7.0% (5.0% in June), cheese by 5.0% (3.0% in June).

Czech news site iDNES recently conducted a price comparison using the latest data from the CZSO and found that people living in the Czech Republic are currently paying extra for 73 foods, many of them staples such as meat, tea, and dairy products.

“Of the 173 types of food for which the Czech Statistical Office monitors prices every month, 42 percent have risen above average on a year-to-July basis, ie more than food inflation is now,” the site writes.

The most extreme price jump is for onions, which are currently scarce in Europe. In the Czech lands, the price of onions increased from CZK 15.40 to CZK 32.50, or by 111 percent.

A price jump of one-third can be found in ten common grocery-store produce items including cauliflower, potatoes, celery, cucumber, and broccoli. Dry weather is thought to be significantly driving produce prices up.

Prices for meat and sausages have gone up by four and ten percent as did prices for dairy products and pastries. White bread increased in price by 9 percent, tea nearly ten percent. Pasta and baby food are also more expensive at the moment.

Good news for bakers, however: sugar prices and apples are cheaper by a third. Butter is cheaper as are eggs, lemon, and olive oil.

Grocery prices in the Czech Republic still remain relatively low compared to the rest of the EU.