The price of many basic grocery items in Austria has almost doubled since September 2021, a study by the Chamber of Labour (AK) has found.

According to the AK Price Monitor, penne pasta and flour have seen price hikes of around 90%, while tea butter and sunflower oil have gone up by around 64%. Even everyday staples like eggs, bread, and milk have been affected. However, not everything has become more expensive; liquid laundry detergent has seen a price drop of 5%.

Here’s a summary of price increases since autumn 2021:

– Penne pasta: +90%
– Flour: +88%
– Pureed tomatoes: +87%
– Tea butter: +64%
– Sunflower oil: +63%
– French fries, Margherita pizza: +58%
– Tomatoes, rice: +54%
– Eggs, Gouda cheese, fish fingers: +40%
– Milk: +23%
– Mixed bread rolls: +22%

From September 2023 to 2024, a basket of the 40 cheapest food and cleaning products increased in price by an average of 3.2% across all supermarkets and discounters surveyed. However, the AK found that supermarkets like Billa, Billa Plus, Spar, and Interspar charge on average 9.2% more than discounters such as Hofer, Penny, and Lidl.

“People need to be able to afford their daily lives,” said Gabriele Zgubic from the AK. “Prices are still high, but they are no longer rising as sharply. The next federal government must do everything in its power to ensure food remains affordable.”

The AK is calling for an independent anti-inflation commission to keep tabs on prices.