In the first month of 2025, supermarket inflation rose to over 3% again – standing at 3.29%, compared to 2.81% in December.
The coalition agreement of Belgium's new Federal Government emphasises purchasing power and correct pricing in the agri-food chain. Now, consumer protection organisation Test Achats hopes that the competent authorities will take a closer look at the entire food chain for any imbalances as a priority.
"It is very difficult to know whether the price increases we have seen for three years now are justifiable, and who benefits the most: farmers, manufacturers, large processing companies?" said Test Achats spokesperson Laura Clays.
"The coalition agreement specifically states that farmers are entitled to correct pricing. They also held demonstrations for this last year," she said. "It would be good for farmers and consumers if there were more transparency about price formation in the agri-food chain."
Rising food inflation
Test Achats' calculations show that inflation rose slightly again in January. The biggest increases compared to last year can be found in dark chocolate (+28%), orange juice (+21%) and also Granny Smith apples (+24%).
Some products also decreased in price compared to last year. The products that fell the most last year were pork and beef mince (-10%), frying oil (-6%) and baby wipes (-6%).
Those decreases do not take away from the fact that products in supermarkets are now 28% more expensive on average than in January 2022, when inflation exceeded 2% for the first time.
Ketchup is 81% more expensive than in January 2022, mustard 67% more expensive and olive oil 67% more expensive.
Credit: Belga/Siska Gremmelprez
The new Federal Government's coalition agreement focuses on purchasing power. Therefore, a legal framework would be worked out to allow the Economy Minister to intervene in sectors where competition is insufficient or where there are excessive margins in the long term.
The minister will act on findings by the Belgian Competition Authority or the Price Observatory, both of which will be strengthened. Test Achats hopes both bodies will focus on the agri-food chain as a priority so that high inflation rates are investigated.
For more than three years, Test Achats has been tracking price trends in seven supermarket chains (Albert Heijn, Carrefour, Colruyt, Cora, Delhaize, Aldi and Lidl) and calculating food inflation based on the prices of 3,000 products.
