By Jennifer Popplewell • Published: 13 Jan 2024 • 22:47 • 2 minutes read
Is food affordable? Credit: Shutterstock/2204092191
The rising cost of living is currently affecting people and households in many areas of the world, as life post pandemic has seen wars, drought and financial struggle.
Due to Spain’s drastic drought, not only is there now a water crisis, but the knock on effect is that of certain foods and vegetables, in particular the nation’s favourite – olives – facing a shortage as well.
The cost of food in Spain increased 7.3 per cent in December 2023, and food inflation in Spain increased at an average of 3.04 per cent from 2003 until 2023, reaching its peak of 16.64 per cent in February of 2023 according to The National Statistics Institute (INE).
On Wednesday, January 10, the government of Spain announced that it has extended its measures to help households cope with a surge in living costs, originally put in place in 2023, to 2024. These include a lower tax on food, and specifically the elimination or reduction of the value added tax on certain foods such as fruits and vegetables, pasta and cooking oils.
However, this attempt by the government is just not enough for many working people in Spain, who claim that every month they are struggling even more to buy basic items for their family to eat. Euro Weekly News spoke to Angel Aguera, a father of two who has worked as a bartender for the past 13 years. “Although my wage has increased over the years, our standard of living has dropped significantly”, he explained, adding that “my wife has to plan our meals for the week diligently and if an unexpected expense arises then we have to go without, it’s very sad to say I work 50 hours a week”. Another resident of Spain, Claire Hill told EWN that: “when I first moved here six years ago I couldn’t believe how cheap everything was, but now it’s very expensive to do a food shop, some things like vegetables are much more here than in the U.K now.”
So what is the solution for the average people of Spain who just want to live in moderate comfort? Experts predict that inflation will decrease in the coming months, and the government promises to continue its support to all who are struggling. However, for now it seems like many will have to cut back on items that, although perhaps were once added to the shopping trolley without thought, have now become an unaffordable luxury.
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Jennifer is a proud northerner from Sheffield, England, who is currently living in Spain. She loves swimming in rivers, talking to the stars and eating luxurious chocolate.
Ridiculous headline. If food is an unaffordable luxury then the alternative is starvation and one ceases to exist. As a uk resident I can assure your interviewees that uk is still way more expensive for vegetables than here in Spain!
Potato’s definitely more expensive in Spain, some others are about the same such as onions, peppers, broccoli etc. if you buy any jars of things like beetroot, girkins, olives etc then Spain is really expensive. I find there cheese is about the same but their cooked meats such as ham were really cheap, fresh meat on a par with uk. So all in all Spain and the uk are beginning to get similar costs of an average shopping trolly.
How do you know that veggies are more expensive in the UK?
Go on Tesco online and compare!!
Load of rubbish, having owned a villa in Spain I can assure you food is much more expensive than the UK like most things and the wages less. Things like oranges are strangely cheaper in the UK too. The only thing in Spain which is cheaper is council tax/alcohol/fags oh and no TV licence.
I disagree. A cauliflower in a supermarket in Murcia 4.95€. In UK today 79p.
I was in Marbella for 3 months last Winter and I noticed vegetables and salad were more expensive in the markets and supermarkets than in the UK even then. However, eating in restaurants was slightly more reasonable than in the UK
Having just come back from the UK vegetables are much cheaper in Britain than over here. eg. carrots in M & S 60 pence. Spain I’ve seen carrots at 1.20 € most veg is more expensive here in Spain and that’s just one example!
You can cut VAT as much as you like, the shops don’t pass it on. The consumer is still paying the same or more with the additional profit going to the stores. If they really want to help they should cut income tax to 0 for those earning less than 30k net (cos let’s face it the basic salary is a slave wage)
Sometimes cheaper to eat out .Im always shocked at the check out in The Canaries
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