Overview
- Statistical data show only moderate food inflation in November (about 1.2%), yet shoppers faced pronounced item‑by‑item volatility through the year.
- Prices diverged sharply: butter fell roughly 22%, potatoes about 16%, and olive oil around 17%, while canned sour cherries jumped about 48%, chocolate nearly 26%, frozen fruit about 26%, coffee roughly 23%, and minced beef about 22%.
- Industry and academic sources link many increases to poor harvests, weather extremes, plant disease, and spikes in global cocoa and coffee markets.
- A Forsa survey for the Verbraucherzentrale found 45% of consumers restricted food purchases in 2025, with 70% of households under €2,000 net income cutting back versus 39% over €3,500, and fewer restrictions reported among highly educated respondents.
- Retailers leaned on private labels and promotions to temper sticker shock, with some discount events prompting quantity limits such as rationed butter at Kaufland.