The prices of meals at the Alma student restaurants in Leuven will increase from September, Alma reports in a press release, citing rising food and wage bills as the main reasons.
The LOKO umbrella student organization, which says it understands the price hike, has announced that it will use subsidies to keep regular meals affordable.
The daily specials, Alma’s cheapest meals, will cost €4.95 from the new academic year, €1 more than last year. The second category of meals, such as spaghetti or vol-au-vent, will increase by €1.70, from €5.30 to €7. The most expensive meals, such as ribs, will cost €10, up from €7 last year. The prices of soup and sandwiches will go up by about 10%.
“In recent months, the prices of many food commodities have risen spectacularly. Some have become over 20% more expensive,” Alma explained. “Add to that the indexation of wages and it is clear that these factors also have an impact on Alma's restaurants.”
The LOKO student umbrella said it had discussed the situation with Alma. "It came down to the fact that the price increase was necessary if the non-profit organisation still wanted to exist next year," said chairman Bram Schaefer. “We live in a time when everything is becoming more expensive, you see that in other businesses in Leuven as well.”
Alma remains the cheapest place where Leuven's students can eat healthy, he added. “Other items may have a similar price but not nearly the same portions or they are less healthy.”
Schaefer added that LOKO, together with Stuvo KULeuven - Leuven University's student services - was using subsidies to keep the cheapest meals under €5.
