2024-02-17 02:01:49
Compared to 2020, the price of all foodstuffs that the Czech Statistical Office monitors in its monthly surveys increased in price this January. The prices of some items have increased by several tens of percent. Most notably in the case of sugar, which cost almost twice as much as four years ago, or plain wheat flour.
According to the Czech Statistical Office, the data in the monthly surveys are indicative, they are determined once in the field and are not included in the calculation of monthly consumer prices.
Cumin bread also became more expensive this year by 51.15 percent to 38.74 crowns compared to 2020, or by 41.24 percent to 67.64 crowns per kilogram of white wheat bread. About 40.3 percent of people paid extra for a package of ten eggs, which amounted to 46.58 crowns.
But other items also became more expensive. While in 2020 a kilogram of potatoes cost 20.45 crowns, in January of this year it was already 27.70 crowns, and in the case of a 150-gram cup of yogurt, the price increased from 9.07 crowns in the year to 11.56 crowns, according to data from the CZSO. The price of a kilogram of butter then increased by 7.49 percent to 208.02 crowns, and a liter of milk by 24.37 percent to 24.09 crowns.
In January of this year, food also became more expensive compared to 2021 and 2022. The exception is a kilogram of butter, which became cheaper by 3.22 percent compared to January 2022.
Compared to January 2023, the price of a number of items has decreased
In addition to eggs or butter, a kilogram of edamame became cheaper by 19.62 percent to 183.57 crowns, and a kilogram of plain wheat flour by 15.6 percent to 20.40 crowns. Four items, on the other hand, rose in price year-on-year. It was the most in the case of a kilogram of potatoes, by 37.13 percent to 27.70 crowns. The price also increased by about six percent for bottled beer and a kilogram of apples. A kilogram of roast pork cost almost three percent more, i.e. 174.14 crowns.
Data from the Czech Statistical Office show that, for example, flour prices in January deepened their year-on-year decline from December’s 19.7 percent to January’s 23.6 percent, meat prices from three percent to 6.6 percent, and yogurt prices from 1.4 percent to 7. 6 percent. Also, cheeses and curds became cheaper in January than in December, by 9.7 percent, and the price of sugar fell by 21.9 percent. Fruit prices moderated year-on-year growth to 1.1 percent from December’s increase of 5.8 percent, and vegetable prices slowed from 18.7 to 13.3 percent. In January, the prices of spirits rose by 3.4 percent year-on-year, wine prices by five percent and beer prices by four percent.
At the beginning of this year, food was reclassified to a lower VAT rate of 12 percent. On the contrary, most beverages have moved to the basic VAT rate of 21 percent.
According to published data, year-on-year growth in consumer prices slowed significantly to 2.3 percent in January from 6.9 percent in December. Inflation is thus the lowest since March 2021.
Price development of selected foods between 2020 and 2024 (prices in crowns):
| Food | Week 3, January 2024 | Week 2, January 2023 | Week 2, January 2022 | Week 2, January 2021 | Week 3, January 2020 | 2024 vs 2020 difference | 2024 vs 2021 difference | 2024 vs 2022 difference | 2024 vs 2023 difference |
| Roast pork (1 kg) | 174,14 | 169,11 | 147,93 | 148,86 | 148,84 | 17,00 % | 16,98 % | 17,72 % | 2,97 % |
| Semi-skimmed pasteurized milk (1 l) | 24,09 | 27,19 | 20,82 | 19,9 | 19,37 | 24,37 % | 21,06 % | 15,71 % | -11,40 % |
| Eidam brick (1 kg) | 183,57 | 228,37 | 183,3 | 151,29 | 148,06 | 23,98 % | 21,34 % | 0,15 % | -19,62 % |
| White low-fat yogurt (150 g) | 11,56 | 11,63 | 9,91 | 8,41 | 9,07 | 27,45 % | 37,46 % | 16,65 % | -0,60 % |
| Fresh chicken eggs (10 pcs) | 46,58 | 61,36 | 35,86 | 32,09 | 33,21 | 40,26 % | 45,15 % | 29,89 % | -24,09 % |
| Butter (1 kg) | 208,02 | 263,67 | 214,95 | 188,26 | 193,52 | 7,49 % | 10,50 % | -3,22 % | -21,11 % |
| Plain wheat flour (1 kg) | 20,4 | 24,17 | 15,46 | 12,51 | 11,8 | 72,88 % | 63,07 % | 31,95 % | -15,60 % |
| Caraway bread (1 kg) | 38,74 | 39,77 | 30,34 | 26,48 | 25,63 | 51,15 % | 46,30 % | 27,69 % | -2,59 % |
| White wheat pastry (1 kg) | 67,64 | 70,49 | 54,89 | 45,81 | 47,89 | 41,24 % | 47,65 % | 23,23 % | -4,04 % |
| Crystal sugar (1 kg) | 29,9 | 35,16 | 18,59 | 15,63 | 15,1 | 98,01 % | 91,30 % | 60,84 % | -14,96 % |
| Draft beer, light, bottled (0.5 l) | 14,6 | 13,76 | 12,82 | 12,88 | 12,43 | 17,46 % | 13,35 % | 13,88 % | 6,10 % |
| Table potatoes (1 kg) | 27,7 | 20,2 | 18,43 | 14,69 | 20,45 | 35,45 % | 88,56 % | 50,30 % | 37,13 % |
| Eating apples (1 kg) | 37,15 | 34,89 | 35,65 | 33,76 | 32,83 | 13,16 % | 10,04 % | 4,21 % | 6,48 % |
Source: CZSO