Dorita Yiannakou
An uneven picture has emerged on supermarket shelves since the beginning of the year, with some products recording increases of up to 30%, while other basic products have become cheaper. Despite continued price fluctuations since the start of the year, the April-June quarter saw sharp increases in the prices of basic products on supermarket shelves, putting consumers under significant financial strain. At the same time, continued increases in fuel prices, driven by tensions from conflicts in the Middle East and fluctuations in Brent crude oil prices, have made the cost of everyday life increasingly difficult to manage. The cost of transportation and daily necessities continues to rise and, combined with higher prices on supermarket shelves, is creating a particularly difficult environment for consumers.
The cost
Inflationary pressures in recent months have hit consumers hard, with increases in the prices of basic products eating into household incomes. For consumers, buying essential goods has become a constant effort to save money, making price comparisons and the search for cheaper alternatives increasingly important.
The positive news, however, is that the first signs of easing appear to be emerging. During the second half of July, the trend showed that prices were beginning to stabilize, offering cautious optimism that the pace of price increases may slow.
However, the picture remains fragile, and there is no guarantee that prices will not rise again. International developments, energy and fuel prices, as well as conditions in global markets, continue to have a direct impact on the cost of products.
The coming period is expected to be particularly important, as consumers are looking for more than an end to price increases. They need prices to come down significantly so that some of the purchasing power they have lost can be restored.
For now, the picture on supermarket shelves remains mixed. Some prices are rising while others are falling, but the overall cost of everyday life continues to put intense pressure on households.
Up and down
A comparison of prices in January and June 2026, based on data from the Observatory of Basic Consumer Goods operated by the Consumer Protection Service of the Ministry of Commerce, shows an uneven picture. More specifically, consumers faced price increases for a number of products, while prices for others fell. In some cases, increases in the prices of basic products reached double digits, while price reductions were also recorded for other products since the beginning of the year. Among the largest increases was large squid, whose price rose from €10.63 per kilo in January to €14.78 in June, an increase of about 39%.
A significant increase was also recorded for sliced smoked turkey, which rose from €2.53 to €3.36, an increase of about 33%. Cut lamb and goat meat increased from €10.60 to €13.13 per kilo, while pangasius fillet rose from €3.36 to €4.12 per kilo.
Prices also increased for products commonly purchased for everyday consumption. Rye toast bread rose from €2.15 to €2.60, while white bread increased from €2.41 to €2.79. The price of a 200-gram serving of feta increased from €2.71 to €3.19, while beef burgers rose from €5.92 to €6.91.
On the other hand, some products recorded significant price declines. The largest reduction was seen in greenhouse cucumbers, with the price falling from €2.43 to €0.97 per kilo, a drop of about 60%. Field cucumbers fell from €3.10 to €1.39 per kilo, a decline of about 55%. Fresh potatoes also became cheaper, falling from €1.24 to €1.00 per kilo, while small squid fell from €17.55 to €14.75 per kilo. The picture for packaged products was also mixed, with declines recorded for products such as chicken nuggets and pork fillet steak.
The picture for the April-June quarter shows that price increases clearly outnumbered decreases, according to data from the Observatory of Basic Consumer Goods. Of the 242 products included in the survey, 150 recorded price increases, just 78 became cheaper, and 14 remained unchanged.
A clear example is pangasius fillet, whose price rose from €3.22 per kilo in April to €4.12 in June, an increase of nearly 28%. Significant increases of 23% were also recorded for flour and pasta products.
Double-digit increases were also recorded for refrigerated products, dairy products and frozen goods. Some meat and seafood products also saw particularly noticeable increases. Octopus rose from €19.27 to €21.21 per kilo, while large squid increased from €13.49 to €14.78. Pork belly with bone rose from €5.46 to €6.04 per kilo.
The figures show that although prices fell for a number of products, the overall balance for the quarter clearly favored price increases. For consumers, this means greater pressure on household incomes, particularly when the increases affect basic products purchased on a daily basis.
At the same time, the market is not moving in a single direction, with some products following the opposite trend and becoming cheaper in several cases. However, the number of price increases was nearly twice the number of decreases, reflecting the intensity of inflationary pressures during the second quarter of the year.
Inflation and fuel
Annual inflation in Cyprus stood at 2.9% in July 2026, according to data released by the Statistical Service. Petroleum products recorded the largest annual increase among the economic categories, at 12.2%, followed by agricultural products at 8.2%. By contrast, prices for industrial products fell by 0.5%.
On an annual basis, the largest increases were recorded in housing, water supply, electricity, natural gas and other fuels, at 7.2%, as well as transportation, at 6%. Prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 4.9%, while the clothing and footwear category recorded a decline of 5.9%. Restaurants and accommodation services, recreation, sports and culture, as well as alcoholic beverages and tobacco, had the largest positive impact on the annual change in the Consumer Price Index. Health, information and communication, as well as clothing and footwear, had the largest negative impact.
Regarding transportation costs, significant increases have been recorded in unleaded gasoline prices, while diesel has seen an even larger increase. According to the fuel retail price observatory, the nationwide average price of unleaded 95 was 1.48 on Monday, July 20, before reaching 1.59 on Friday, an increase of 7.4%. At the same time, the average price of unleaded 98 rose from 1.54 to 1.65 per liter. The average price of diesel increased from 1.59 on July 20 to 1.77 on Friday, recording a double-digit increase of 11.3%.
