Food and beverages have become 7% more expensive on average after the VAT raise by 5% as of 1 July, shows ZF’s food index based on prices in Bucharest’s Carrefour and Real hypermarkets.
The analysis considered shelf prices of 19 of the best-selling products in hypermarkets. Carrefour and Real are the biggest hypermarket chains on the Bucharest market in terms of the number of stores operated, accounting for around half the hypermarket segment at national level.
Data centralised by ZF reveal that some of the basic products, such as eggs, poultry, and tomatoes, became over 10% more expensive in July against June. Imported apples (Golden) saw the highest price increase, by 14%, but fruit and vegetable price fluctuations are largely due to frequent supplier changes.
Around half the products considered for this index saw their prices rise by a maximum 5% in July. The two retailers, Carrefour and Real announced last week they would not alter the prices of products in their promotional catalogues until the offers expire – which could explain the price declines recorded for vegetable oil and flour, the only products included in the index calculation that became cheaper in July.

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