According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ireland had the second most expensive food and alcoholic beverage prices in the Eurozone last year.
Details
According to a statement published on CSO.ie, food prices in Ireland last year were 17% above the EU27 average, which made them the second most expensive in the Eurozone, and the third most expensive in the EU27.
The statement published on CSO.ie said that prices for the various types of foods in Ireland were all higher than the EU27 average last year, with the exception of fish, which was 3% lower; Irish prices for milk, cheese and eggs were 25% higher than the EU27 average, prices of oils and fats were 22% higher, and prices of breads and cereals were 20% higher; Ireland and Malta were the joint second most expensive countries in the EU27 for non-alcoholic beverages; Ireland was the second most expensive country in both the Eurozone and EU27 for alcoholic beverage, with prices of alcohol in Ireland last year being a little more than double the EU27 average; and Ireland was the most expensive of the 36 countries surveyed last year for tobacco, with prices being 145% more than the EU27 average.
The above data was taken from the report on Price Levels of Food, Beverages, and Tobacco 2021: How Ireland Compares, which has been published by the CSO, according to the statement published on CSO.ie, which also noted that this analysis is based on statistics that were published by Eurostat on 21 June 2022 for 36 European countries.
Statement By Senior Statistician In The Prices Division
The statement published on CSO.ie included a statement from senior statistician in the prices division Edel Flannery that said, "Looking at how the price levels of food, beverages, and tobacco in Ireland compared with other European countries in 2021, Ireland was the second most expensive country in the Eurozone and third most expensive of the 27 European Union (EU27) countries for food, with prices 17% above the average for the EU27. Of the 36 countries surveyed, food was most expensive in Switzerland at 69% above the EU27 average, and least expensive in Turkey at 37% below the EU27 average.
"Looking at specific food categories, we can see that prices for the various types of foods in Ireland were all higher than the EU27 average in 2021, except for fish, which was 3% lower. Prices for milk, cheese & eggs in Ireland were 25% higher than the EU27 average, while oils & fats were 22% higher, and breads & cereals were 20% higher.
"For non-alcoholic beverages, Ireland was joint with Malta as the most expensive of the Eurozone in 2021, and second most expensive of the EU27 countries, with prices 37% higher than the EU27 average. Norway was the most expensive of the 36 countries for non-alcoholic beverages with prices 55% above the EU27 average, while Turkey was the least expensive with prices 33% below the EU27 average.
"For alcoholic beverages, Ireland was the second most expensive country in the Eurozone in 2021, with prices just over double the EU27 average. Of the 36 countries surveyed, Iceland had the highest prices of alcohol, at 186% above the EU27 average. Alcoholic beverages were cheapest in North Macedonia, at 19% below the EU27 average.
"For tobacco, Ireland was the most expensive of the 36 countries surveyed in 2021 with prices 145% higher than the EU27 average. Tobacco prices were lowest in Turkey with prices 74% below the average for the EU27."
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