The cost of food in Ireland continues to rise according to data from Eurostat relayed by the CSO today – with the rising costs of groceries showing up as overall 5% food inflation, a 20-month high.
That puts food price inflation at three times the headline rate of rises in prices, with an overall annual inflation rate of 1.8% in August, up from 1.6% in July.
Economist Oliver Browne previously calculated that the cost of food shopping has increased by 36% in the past four years.
Commenting on the National Average Prices data last month, the CSO said that in the 12 months to July 2025 Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages had risen 4.7% – adding that within that overall picture a pound of butter has increased by €1.08), while cheddar cheese was up 70c per kg.
Today’s figures are ahead released ahead of the publication of the EU’s harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) which is harmonised to allow comparisons across Eurozone countries. Eurostat will expected to publish the final HICP results for the Eurozone in the middle of the month.
In June, Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon warned that because the surge in food prices reflected rising input costs for farmers, it was unlikely to be reversed.
Oliver Browne said that electricity prices are now nearly 37% higher than during the peak of 2023. Those higher energy costs, and rising fertiliser costs – set to worsen as the effect of EU tariffs on Russian fertiliser kick in – all lead to higher shopping bills at the checkout.
In May, Eurostat revealed that Irish households are paying 30% above the EU average for electricity – with bills coming in €350 more expensive annually.
In July, figures released on the number of households in difficulties with their energy bills showed that some 301,000 households were in arrears, a record high.
In the same month, research company Kantar, said that a family who spent €200 a week on their shopping in mid-May 2021, would now be paying €3,000 more per year on groceries.