In January 2025, Spanish households experienced a 1.22% increase in their grocery expenses, primarily driven by a significant rise in beverage prices, according to the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU*). This uptick is partly attributed to the recent Value Added Tax (VAT) increase implemented at the start of the year.
Beverages saw a notable surge of nearly 9%, leading the categories with the highest price hikes. Following were meats and cold cuts with a 2.67% increase, dairy products at 2.61%, and fruits and vegetables at 1.22%. Fish prices also edged up by 0.47%.
Conversely, pantry staples experienced a price reduction of 2.03%, and household cleaning and hygiene products decreased by 0.39%.
Among 89 products monitored by the OCU, 50 items saw price increases, 37 decreased, and two remained unchanged. Significant price hikes were observed in sunflower oil (10%), yogurt (7%), ground beef (7%), premium cooked ham (6%), fresh cheese (6%), blended ground coffee (6%), salad tomatoes (6%), rum (14%), and whiskey (8%).
In contrast, extra virgin olive oil experienced a substantial price drop of 15%, with mild olive oil decreasing by 9%, potatoes by 8%, chicken breast fillets by 4%, and lettuce by 4%.
The OCU highlights that, despite a slowdown in price increases in recent months, food prices remain 35.5% higher than three years ago. The organization suggests reconsidering the recent VAT hike and advocates for reducing the VAT on meat and fish from the current 10% to 2%, classifying them as essential goods.
This analysis is based on monthly price tracking of 89 common fresh and packaged food items, including both store brands and major manufacturers, as well as popular household cleaning and hygiene products across eight major supermarket chains: Alcampo, Carrefour, Día, Mas, Ahorramas, Lidl, Mercadona, and Supermercados El Corte Inglés.
* OCU (Organización de Consumidores y Usuarios) is a Spanish non-profit consumer organization dedicated to protecting and advocating for consumer rights. It provides independent research, product comparisons, and legal advice to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions. The OCU also monitors market trends, analyzes price fluctuations, and campaigns for fairer policies in various industries, including food, retail, and utilities.