Basic products in the shopping basket cost 19% more than in January 2023, according to Asufin

MADRID, 2 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The basic products in the shopping basket rose by 18.93% in January compared to the same month in 2023, despite the elimination of the Value Added Tax (VAT) until June 2024 on essential foods such as bread, eggs or milk, according to the Association of Financial Users (Asufin).

Specifically, the average price of the basic shopping basket of the five main distribution chains in Spain (Mercadona, El Corte Inglés, Carrefour, Alcampo and Dia) rises by 18.93%, to 35.81 euros, compared to at 30.11 euros in January 2023.

In addition, Asufin warns of "the cloning of prices" experienced by products such as milk, with 5.46 euros for a six-liter pack (except for Alcampo, which labels it at 5.40 euros) and olive oil, 9.90 euros in Mercadona, El Corte Inglés and Dia, and 9.89 euros in Carrefour and Alcampo.

Going into detail, the Alcampo basket has become more expensive by 31.86%, followed by the ECI basket, by 21.68%; Day, by 14.87%; Carrefour, by 14.59% and Mercadona, by 13.98%.

Likewise, the increase in the price of the 3-kilogram bag of potatoes stands out, which has increased by 61.60% in Dia (up to 5.64 euros), 31.65% in Carrefour (5.49 euros), 11.19% in Alcampo (4.77 euros) and 2.31% in El Corte Inglés (3.99 euros), while it has not increased in Mercadona (4.90 euros).

The price of a kilogram of spinach has also increased, especially in El Corte Inglés, by 55.43% (up to 5.44 euros), and in Carrefour, by 11.64% (3.07 euros), while in Mercadona (4 euros), Dia (4 euros) and Alcampo (3 euros) its cost has not changed.

On the other hand, the kilogram of bananas registered the greatest price drop in El Corte Inglés, (-28.67%); in Alcampo (-22%) and in Dia (-11.16%), while it has remained stable in Mercadona and Carrefour.