In 2006, the price level¹ of a comparable basket of food and non-alcoholic beverages was two and half times higher in the most expensive EU27 Member State than in the cheapest one. The range was similar for alcoholic beverages, but was much greater for tobacco where price levels were seven times higher.

Ireland is the most expensive European Union country for alcoholic beverages and the second-most expensive for food and tobacco.

These data come from a report issued by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Union. The results presented refer to the survey on food, beverages and tobacco carried out in 2006 in the 37 participating countries. This survey covered a total of approximately 500 comparable products.

The highest price levels for food and non-alcoholic beverages were recorded in Denmark (142% of the EU27 average), Ireland (125%), Finland (120%) and Sweden (119%), and the lowest in Bulgaria (56%), Lithuania (64%), Poland and Slovakia (both 67%). For bread and cereals, price levels ranged from 41% of the EU27 average in Bulgaria and 56% in Slovakia to 150% in Denmark and 141% in Finland; for meat from 48% in Bulgaria and 50% in Lithuania to 149% in Denmark and 133% in Sweden; and for milk, cheese and eggs from 67% in Poland and 75% in Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia to 139% in Cyprus and 138% in Greece.

The highest price levels for alcoholic beverages were registered in Ireland (181% of the EU27 average), Finland (170%), the United Kingdom (152%) and Sweden (145%), and the lowest in Bulgaria (69%), Slovakia (72%), Hungary (77%) and Lithuania (79%).

For tobacco the highest price levels were observed in the United Kingdom (205% of the EU27 average), Ireland (186%), France (133%), Germany and Sweden (both 119%), and the lowest in Latvia (28%), Lithuania (30%), Romania (32%) and Estonia (41%).

Comparative price level indices 2006, EU27=100

1. Comparative price levels are expressed in the form of price level indices (PLIs). PLIs provide a comparison of countries’ price levels with respect to the European Union average: if the PLI is higher than 100, the country concerned is relatively expensive compared to the EU average and vice versa. However, PLIs only provide an indication of the order of magnitude of the price level in one country in relation to others, particularly when countries are clustered around a very narrow range of outcomes. The data is produced by the Eurostat-OECD Purchasing Power Parity programme.