Irish shoppers pay 25% more for groceries

IRISH consumers are paying an average of 25% more for food and non-alcoholic beverages than the rest of Europe — and paying almost double for tobacco and alcohol.

Labour described the Eurostat figures as further evidence Irish consumers are being ripped off.

Irish shoppers pay 23% more than the EU average for fish, and 30% more for fruit and vegetables.

They come third to Cyprus and Greece for milk, cheese and eggs, paying 26% more.

For meat, of which Ireland produces almost 10 times more than it consumes, Irish people pay 29% more than the EU average, making the country the fifth-most expensive of the EU 27.

Consumers pay 21% more than the average for bread and cereals, the fifth highest in the EU.

When the basket of 50 products is totalled, Ireland is the second most expensive overall below Denmark.

Ireland tops the league for alcohol, paying 180% of the average. Bulgaria has the cheapest at 69%.

When it comes to tobacco Ireland is second most expensive at 186%. Britain is top at 205%, while Latvia is cheapest at 28%.

Labour’s Kathleen Lynch said: “They (the figures) provide further evidence of the extent to which Irish consumers are being ripped off when it come to the cost of food items.”

The cost of importing goods is not an excuse, given that even home-produced products such as meat, milk, cheese and eggs are all well ahead of the EU average, she said.

She believed the tax on alcohol could not be blamed for its price either.

The Groceries Order and National Consumer Agency were intended to lower prices and act for Irish consumers.

“It’s now time for the agency to show its teeth and start tackling real issues like the cost of food,” she said.