Newsroom
If your Green Monday shopping list feels like a gamble this year, you’re not imagining it. A new price check shows some traditional fasting foods have shot up in cost, while others have dropped sharply, and the difference between stores can be huge.
According to the latest survey by the Consumer Protection Service, celery root prices jumped nearly 53% compared with last year, eggplant salad climbed 27%, and fresh small octopus rose about 25% to almost €18 per kilo. Even lagana, the must-have bread for the holiday, went up more than 18%. Tahini also crept higher.
But not everything is more expensive. Tomatoes plunged nearly 47%, cucumbers and beets also dropped, and seafood lovers might catch a break: shrimp fell about 26% and whole cleaned squid dropped more than 14%.
Where you shop matters a lot
The biggest shock isn’t just price hikes. It’s how wildly prices vary between stores.
The survey found halva with nuts selling for as little as €4.45 per kilo in one shop and as much as €16.99 in another, almost four times higher. Large fresh squid ranged from €11.95 to €20 per kilo, while octopus stretched from €12.50 to €25.99. Even lagana bread ranged from €0.99 to €2.15 depending on where you buy it.
Officials stress the price observatory is meant as a guide, not shopping advice, since product quality can differ. Their takeaway for shoppers: compare prices before you fill your basket.
Not just holiday foods
The broader grocery picture isn’t exactly comforting either. January data shows 35 out of 45 basic product categories increased compared with December. Frozen shellfish jumped 31.5% in a month, fresh greens rose 14%, and flour climbed 9%.
There were a few bright spots: sugar dropped 13%, frozen prepared meats fell 11%, and fresh meat prices edged down slightly.
Meanwhile, price-comparison platform data shows the difference between the cheapest and most expensive supermarket baskets reached €138.60 for the same 255 products, about a 14.5% gap.
Bottom line: this year, pulling off a traditional Green Monday spread may take less cooking skill and more bargain-hunting.
