Food prices rise at fastest rate in ten years

After the first few months of 2009, food price increases at rates similar to May 2019 were only recorded in January 2013, September 2017 and April 2019. In January 2019, the low VAT rate was raised from 6 to 9 percent; this tax rate adjustment effectively boosted the hike in food prices. Food prices tend to fluctuate more relative to the consumer price index for all goods and services. In May 2019, consumer goods and services were on average 2.4 percent more expensive than one year previously.

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Consumer price index

jaar	maand	All goods and services (year-on-year % change)	Food products (year-on-year % change)
2008	January	2.0	4.0
2008	February	2.2	4.2
2008	March	2.1	5.4
2008	April	2.0	5.4
2008	May	2.3	6.3
2008	June	2.6	6.7
2008	July	3.2	7.1
2008	August	3.2	7.0
2008	September	3.1	6.8
2008	October	2.8	6.3
2008	November	2.3	5.0
2008	December	1.9	4.7
2009	January	1.9	4.2
2009	Februar	2.0	4.4
2009	March	2.0	3.7
2009	April	1.8	3.0
2009	May	1.6	2.0
2009	June	1.4	1.4
2009	July	0.2	0.1
2009	August	0.3	-0.3
2009	September	0.4	-1.2
2009	October	0.7	-1.1
2009	November	1.0	-1.3
2009	December	1.1	-1.1
2010	January	0.8	-2.0
2010	February	0.8	-1.4
2010	March	1.0	-1.4
2010	April	1.1	-0.9
2010	May	1.0	-0.9
2010	June	0.8	-0.6
2010	July	1.6	0.8
2010	August	1.5	1.4
2010	September	1.6	1.5
2010	October	1.6	1.2
2010	November	1.6	1.3
2010	December	1.9	1.0
2011	Januar	1.9	0.8
2011	Februar	1.9	1.2
2011	March	1.8	1.5
2011	April	2.0	1.8
2011	May	2.2	2.2
2011	June	2.2	2.3
2011	July	3.0	1.7
2011	August	3.0	1.4
2011	September	2.7	1.6
2011	October	2.6	1.9
2011	November	2.5	1.9
2011	December	2.4	2.0
2012	January	2.5	1.7
2012	February	2.5	2.4
2012	March	2.5	1.8
2012	April	2.4	1.2
2012	May	2.1	1.2
2012	June	2.1	1.5
2012	July	2.3	1.3
2012	Augusts	2.3	1.3
2012	September	2.3	1.7
2012	October	2.9	2.5
2012	November	2.8	2.6
2012	December	2.9	3.7
2013	January	3.0	3.8
2013	February	3.0	2.7
2013	March	2.9	3.4
2013	April	2.6	2.9
2013	May	2.8	3.5
2013	June	2.9	3.0
2013	July	3.1	3.3
2013	August	2.8	3.1
2013	September	2.4	2.3
2013	October	1.6	1.1
2013	November	1.5	0.6
2013	December	1.7	0.3
2014	January	1.4	0.8
2014	February	1.1	0.1
2014	March	0.8	-0.2
2014	April	1.2	0.3
2014	May	0.8	-0.7
2014	June	0.9	-0.9
2014	July	0.9	-0.6
2014	Augusts	1.0	-0.6
2014	September	0.9	-0.1
2014	October	1.1	0.2
2014	November	1.0	0.7
2014	December	0.7	-0.3
2015	January	0.0	-0.9
2015	February	0.1	-0.4
2015	March	0.4	-0.7
2015	April	0.5	-0.2
2015	May	1.1	0.3
2015	June	1.0	0.4
2015	July	0.9	0.7
2015	August	0.7	1.6
2015	September	0.5	1.6
2015	October	0.6	1.4
2015	November	0.6	1.1
2015	December	0.7	1.1
2016	January	0.6	1.2
2016	February	0.6	1.1
2016	March	0.6	1.5
2016	April	0.0	1.2
2016	May	0.0	1.1
2016	June	0.0	1.4
2016	July	-0.2	0.5
2016	August	0.2	0.0
2016	September	0.1	-0.2
2016	October	0.4	0.1
2016	November	0.6	0.6
2016	December	1.0	1.1
2017	January	1.7	1.5
2017	February	1.8	2.2
2017	March	1.1	2.0
2017	April	1.6	1.8
2017	May	1.1	2.5
2017	June	1.1	2.8
2017	July	1.3	3.3
2017	August	1.4	3.7
2017	September	1.5	3.8
2017	October	1.3	3.6
2017	November	1.5	3.2
2017	December	1.3	2.6
2018	January	1.5	2.2
2018	February	1.2	1.8
2018	March	1.0	0.7
2018	April	1.1	1.0
2018	May	1.7	0.6
2018	June	1.7	0.0
2018	July	2.1	0.2
2018	August	2.1	0.5
2018	September	1.9	0.6
2018	October	2.1	0.5
2018	November	2.0	1.1
2018	December	2.0	1.2
2019	January	2.2	3.3
2019	February	2.6	3.2
2019	March	2.8	3.8
2019	April	2.9	3.9
2019	May	2.4	3.8

Consumer price index

jaar	maand	All goods and services (year-on-year % change)	Food products (year-on-year % change)
2008	January	2.0	4.0
2008	February	2.2	4.2
2008	March	2.1	5.4
2008	April	2.0	5.4
2008	May	2.3	6.3
2008	June	2.6	6.7
2008	July	3.2	7.1
2008	August	3.2	7.0
2008	September	3.1	6.8
2008	October	2.8	6.3
2008	November	2.3	5.0
2008	December	1.9	4.7
2009	January	1.9	4.2
2009	Februar	2.0	4.4
2009	March	2.0	3.7
2009	April	1.8	3.0
2009	May	1.6	2.0
2009	June	1.4	1.4
2009	July	0.2	0.1
2009	August	0.3	-0.3
2009	September	0.4	-1.2
2009	October	0.7	-1.1
2009	November	1.0	-1.3
2009	December	1.1	-1.1
2010	January	0.8	-2.0
2010	February	0.8	-1.4
2010	March	1.0	-1.4
2010	April	1.1	-0.9
2010	May	1.0	-0.9
2010	June	0.8	-0.6
2010	July	1.6	0.8
2010	August	1.5	1.4
2010	September	1.6	1.5
2010	October	1.6	1.2
2010	November	1.6	1.3
2010	December	1.9	1.0
2011	Januar	1.9	0.8
2011	Februar	1.9	1.2
2011	March	1.8	1.5
2011	April	2.0	1.8
2011	May	2.2	2.2
2011	June	2.2	2.3
2011	July	3.0	1.7
2011	August	3.0	1.4
2011	September	2.7	1.6
2011	October	2.6	1.9
2011	November	2.5	1.9
2011	December	2.4	2.0
2012	January	2.5	1.7
2012	February	2.5	2.4
2012	March	2.5	1.8
2012	April	2.4	1.2
2012	May	2.1	1.2
2012	June	2.1	1.5
2012	July	2.3	1.3
2012	Augusts	2.3	1.3
2012	September	2.3	1.7
2012	October	2.9	2.5
2012	November	2.8	2.6
2012	December	2.9	3.7
2013	January	3.0	3.8
2013	February	3.0	2.7
2013	March	2.9	3.4
2013	April	2.6	2.9
2013	May	2.8	3.5
2013	June	2.9	3.0
2013	July	3.1	3.3
2013	August	2.8	3.1
2013	September	2.4	2.3
2013	October	1.6	1.1
2013	November	1.5	0.6
2013	December	1.7	0.3
2014	January	1.4	0.8
2014	February	1.1	0.1
2014	March	0.8	-0.2
2014	April	1.2	0.3
2014	May	0.8	-0.7
2014	June	0.9	-0.9
2014	July	0.9	-0.6
2014	Augusts	1.0	-0.6
2014	September	0.9	-0.1
2014	October	1.1	0.2
2014	November	1.0	0.7
2014	December	0.7	-0.3
2015	January	0.0	-0.9
2015	February	0.1	-0.4
2015	March	0.4	-0.7
2015	April	0.5	-0.2
2015	May	1.1	0.3
2015	June	1.0	0.4
2015	July	0.9	0.7
2015	August	0.7	1.6
2015	September	0.5	1.6
2015	October	0.6	1.4
2015	November	0.6	1.1
2015	December	0.7	1.1
2016	January	0.6	1.2
2016	February	0.6	1.1
2016	March	0.6	1.5
2016	April	0.0	1.2
2016	May	0.0	1.1
2016	June	0.0	1.4
2016	July	-0.2	0.5
2016	August	0.2	0.0
2016	September	0.1	-0.2
2016	October	0.4	0.1
2016	November	0.6	0.6
2016	December	1.0	1.1
2017	January	1.7	1.5
2017	February	1.8	2.2
2017	March	1.1	2.0
2017	April	1.6	1.8
2017	May	1.1	2.5
2017	June	1.1	2.8
2017	July	1.3	3.3
2017	August	1.4	3.7
2017	September	1.5	3.8
2017	October	1.3	3.6
2017	November	1.5	3.2
2017	December	1.3	2.6
2018	January	1.5	2.2
2018	February	1.2	1.8
2018	March	1.0	0.7
2018	April	1.1	1.0
2018	May	1.7	0.6
2018	June	1.7	0.0
2018	July	2.1	0.2
2018	August	2.1	0.5
2018	September	1.9	0.6
2018	October	2.1	0.5
2018	November	2.0	1.1
2018	December	2.0	1.2
2019	January	2.2	3.3
2019	February	2.6	3.2
2019	March	2.8	3.8
2019	April	2.9	3.9
2019	May	2.4	3.8

Steepest price rise in meat and fish

In May, meat and fish prices rose by nearly 5 percent year-on-year, the steepest rise in almost one and a half years. Since January, prices of bread and cereals have hovered around the highest level recorded over the past decade. Prices of dairy products have increased by 3 percent this year, while all other food prices have gone up by more than 4 percent on average. Fruit and vegetables have become 2.6 percent more expensive. Although vegetable prices have gone up, fruit has become cheaper.

One-tenth of consumer spending is on food

Food products account for over 10 percent of Dutch household spending. The largest share of household food expenditure is taken up by meat and fish: almost 25 percent. The next largest item is fruit and vegetables, which account for over 22 percent of the food budget.

Food prices 14.5 percent up in ten years

In the space of a decade, food prices have gone up by 14.5 percent. This is slightly less than the average price increase of all goods and services purchased by consumers (16 percent). The fastest rise over this period was in fruit and vegetables at almost 20 percent.
Over the same period, meat and fish rose by almost 18 percent, which was above average as well. Dairy prices rose by 16 percent while bread and cereals went up by 11 percent. Other food products such as confectionery, sauces and spices have become 4.9 percent more expensive compared to ten years previously.