By Andrea Hargraves 
The basket of 63 basic commodities monitored by DECO PROTESTE, which had been in a series of four consecutive price declines, returned to higher prices last week. After reaching its lowest value since November last year, it cost this Wednesday 227.34 euros, 2.14 euros more than a week ago (+0.95%).
Compared to the beginning of 2024, the basket has become 8.70 euros cheaper. However, if we look at the same period last year, there was a price increase of 15.40 euros, and an even greater increase of 43.71 euros, if we compare it to the basket price before the start of the war in Ukraine.
Cereal flakes, tomato pulp and roasted coffee are the “heroes” of the week's increases.
Looking only at the last week, from July 21 to August 7, the products whose prices increased the most were: cereal flakes (22%), tomato pulp (18%), ground roasted coffee (16%), tuna in olive oil (14%), fibre cereals (13%), spaghetti (12%), Frankfurt sausages (12%), Carolino rice (11%), horse mackerel (10%), and semi-skimmed sterilised milk (9%).
Looking at product categories, the largest increases since the beginning of the war were recorded in groceries (33.00%, plus 13.91 euros) and meat (27.59%, plus 8.90 euros).
Coffee leads to increase in the past year
Comparing last week’s basket prices with the same group of products purchased a year ago, the following products appear to have recorded the largest price increases: ground roasted coffee (34%), tuna in olive oil (30%), extra virgin olive oil (26%), fibrous cereals (24%), liquid yoghurt (22%), spaghetti (19%), fresh swordfish (18%), cooking veal (17%), fresh hake (16%). Dried garlic (15%).
Nazli and olive oil prices have increased by more than 80% since the beginning of the war in Ukraine
Looking at the basket prices last week and comparing them to the same set of products purchased on February 23, 2022, before the conflict in Ukraine, it can be noted that the following products recorded the largest price increases: fresh hake (86%), extra virgin olive oil (82%), white sugar (63%), tomato pulp 60%), cereal flakes (59%), Carolino rice (57%), red potatoes (54%), Frankfurt sausages (49%), oranges (49%) and ground roasted coffee (46%).