How much have food prices gone up?
On average, food pricesnoot1 in shops rose by 18 percent between 2010 and 2020. This is slightly more than the average price increase of all goods and services bought by consumers (17 percent). Butter, eggs and milk saw the biggest price increases. However, ice cream and confectionery were cheaper in 2020 than in 2010.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre has dividednoot2 the product categories of food and beverages, as used by CBS for the consumer price index, into healthier and unhealthier variants. The prices of healthier foodstuffs have risen by an average of 21 percent in a span of ten years. At nearly 15 percent, the price increase of unhealthier products was less significant. In the last two years, however, the prices of unhealthier foodstuffs have risen slightly more on an annual basis than healthier choices.
| Categorie | Price increase |
|---|---|
| All goods and services | 17.4 |
| Foodstuffs (excl. beverages) | 18.4 |
| of which | . |
| Healthier foods | 21.1 |
| Unhealthier foods | 14.7 |
Ice cream and confectionary cheaper in ten-year period
Not all foodstuffs have become more expensive in the past ten years. For example, ice cream and confectionary were even cheaper than in 2010. Prices of sugar and sauces rose slightly, but by less than the average food price increase (18 percent). The price of butter rose sharply by 66 percent, and the price of smoked, dried or salted meat (such as deli meats) also rose more than average.
Healthier products: strongest increase in eggs and milk
Of the healthier products, eggs in particular have become more expensive: the average retail price in 2020 was almost 47 percent higher than in 2010. Fresh semi-skimmed and skimmed milk became 43 percent more expensive over a decade. Not all healthier products increased more in price than unhealthier options. For example, some cereal products such as mixtures of baked goods and starch became cheaper, while other healthier products increased in price only slightly.
Price increase of fresh vegetables relatively low, that of fruit relatively high
The price of fresh vegetables has risen much less than the price of fruit in ten years, namely by 6 percent. Preserved vegetables became 12 percent more expensive. The price of fresh and chilled fruit rose by 26 percent in ten years, while that of dried fruit and nuts increased by 29 percent. The price increase for conserved fruit was smaller (16 percent).
Healthier drinks also up in price
Healthier drinks have become 21 percent more expensive in ten years, unhealthier drinks 17 percent more expensive. Tap water, which is not counted as food, was 4.1 percent more expensive in 2020 than in 2010.
| Productgroep | Price change 2010-2020 |
|---|---|
| Healthier drinks | 21.4 |
| of which | . |
| Mineral or spring water | 37.5 |
| Coffee | 22.7 |
| Tea | 9.7 |
| Unhealthier drinks | 17.3 |
| of which | . |
| Soft drinks | 30.2 |
| Fruit and vegetable juices | 17.2 |
| Wine | 14.1 |
| Spirits | 14 |
| Beer | 13.1 |
Source
StatLine – Consumer prices; price index 2015=100
The questions
- How are figures calculated by CBS?
- How many dwellings in the Netherlands?
- How fast is the Dutch population growing?
- How tall are Dutch people?
- How many farm animals are there in the Netherlands?
- Which jobs often cause a poor work-life balance?
- How many diamond wedding couples are there?
- How much energy is from renewable sources?
- How many people fall victim to domestic violence?
- How many people use the Internet of Things?
- What are the major religions?
- What are the most popular majors?
- What do people die of on an average day?
- How much water do we consume?
- What do we buy online?
- How are the various animal species doing?
- How many under-23s receive youth assistance?
- Which flower bulbs are most common?
- How many companies in the Netherlands?
- Where do Caribbean Dutch children live?
- How do we use our land?
- How many electric cars are driving around?
- Which jobs have the highest levels of mental fatigue?
- How much nitrogen is emitted at livestock farms?
- How many workers belong to a trade union?
- How much have food prices gone up?
- Where were people in the Caribbean Netherlands originally born?
- How many families are at risk of poverty?
- How sustainable is our behaviour?
- What do we import from China?
- How many girls become teenage mothers?
- Has our purchasing power gone up or down?
- How many adults smoke?
- How many millionaires in the Netherlands?
- How many tourists stay overnight in the Netherlands?
- How does CBS handle your privacy?
Noten
Prices of foodstuffs
Price development of food products, including dairy products. Non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks are not included.
Classification of healthier and unhealthier foods and drinks
For the CBS consumer price index, food and beverages are classified according to ECOICOP (European Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose). The Netherlands Nutrition Centre has indicated for each category whether it is a healthier or unhealthier option. Healthier products are included in the ‘Schijf van Vijf’ (the food guide pyramid of the Netherlands Nutrition Centre), such as vegetables, fruit and (low-fat and semi-skimmed) dairy. Product groups that are not in the food guide pyramid are categorised under unhealthy products, such as confectionary, sauces and snacks. Product groups that contain both healthier and unhealthier products and for which no categorisation could be made have been placed under healthier products because a healthy choice from this group is possible. Bread, for example, has been included under the healthier products because it is possible to make a healthier choice for brown and wholemeal varieties, for example.