EKI's weekly food basket, which includes 48 specific food items across 24 product groups, cost €123.21 in March. This was €1.92 more than the price of the December 2023 basket.

Compared to March 2023, the basket's price has risen by 6.5 percent, meaning the buyer now pays €7.47 more. All product groups became more expensive, with the largest price increases seen in eggs, dairy products, and fresh produce.

The price of dairy products rose by 9 percent, cream by 23 percent, butter by 14 percent, and milk and kefir by 7 percent. Meat products were 6 percent more expensive than a year ago, although minced meat became 5 percent cheaper. Eggs cost 13 percent more.

Spending on fresh produce increased by 8 percent. Apples rose in price by nearly 19 percent. Cereal product prices went up by 4 percent, with wheat flour seeing the largest rise at 10 percent.

Among items in the March shopping basket, spending increased the most on coffee (33 percent), tea (16 percent), and confectionery products (6 percent). The amount spent on sugar fell by 16 percent.

Compared to December, nearly all food categories in the March basket became more expensive, with the exception of fresh produce, which saw a slight decrease. The biggest price hikes were for eggs and fish.

When comparing price changes over a single quarter, nearly all food categories were more expensive in March than in December of the previous year. Only the price of fresh produce declined slightly. The sharpest increases were seen in eggs and fish.

Over the past 10 years, the cost of the weekly food basket for a four-member family has increased by €54.77. In 2015, in cost from €68.44.

The steepest jump in the weekly food basket price occurred after 2022: that year, the basket cost €88.09, while in 2023 it had risen to €116.67.

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