Nordic nations top EU for high food prices

Scandinavia satellite

New figures have reaffirmed that residents of Nordic nations face the highest food prices in Europe. A new report by Eurostat and Statistics Sweden said that Norway and Denmark have the highest overall food prices in the region.  

Sweden was ranked third, despite having lower than average prices on a number of staple items including milk, cheese, eggs and fish. Similarly, alcohol prices in Sweden are more than 50 percent less than the European average, largely due to local tax rates.

A spokesman for Statistics Sweden explained, “It means that a grocery bag costing SEK 100 kronor (EUR 11.50) at the EU average will cost a Swedish consumer SEK 120 (EUR 14),” TheLocal.se reports.

Likewise, Norwegians pay a whopping 166 percent more for alcoholic drinks than the regional average, as well as the highest price for fish.

Bulgaria is currently Europe’s most affordable location for grocery shopping, followed by Romania and Poland, respectively. Hungary and the Czech Republic also have fairly inexpensive food prices, according to the report, as do the Baltic countries of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.