When food and non-alcoholic prices in this country are compared with the 27 countries that make up the European Union, they are the third most expensive.
Luxembourg was the most expensive country for food and non-alcoholic beverages last year.
Prices for food here are 12pc above the average in the 27 countries in the European Union, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
When meat prices are taken out, Irish prices for the various types of foods in Ireland were all higher than the EU27 average in 2024.
CSO statisticians said Ireland was the third most expensive country in the Eurozone for bread and cereals.
We are the sixth most expensive country for fruits, vegetables, and potatoes.
When it comes to milk, cheese, eggs and fish, this country is the eight most expensive.
Meat prices in oil are the ninth most expensive in the Eurozone, and this country is the 12th most expensive for oils and fats.
Ireland has emerged as the most expensive for non-alcoholic beverages when prices were compared across 36 European countries last year.
Prices here for the likes of Coke and non-alcoholic beers are 40pc higher than the EU27 average.
This country is the second most expensive country in both the Eurozone and EU27 for alcoholic beverages.
Tobacco prices in Ireland were the most expensive of the 36 countries surveyed in 2024, at 159pc higher than the EU27 average.
CSO senior statistician in the prices division Edel Flannery said: “Looking at specific food categories, we can see that except for meat, prices for the various types of foods in Ireland were all higher than the EU27 average in 2024.”
She said that last year prices for bread and cereals were 17pc higher than the EU27 average.
Milk, cheese and egg prices were 11pc higher than the EU average.
Fruits, vegetables and potatoes prices in the supermarkets were 9pc higher.
“For alcoholic beverages, Ireland was the second most expensive country in the Eurozone in 2024, with prices just under double the EU27 average (98pc higher),” she said.
Ms Flannery said that for tobacco, Ireland was the most expensive of the 36 countries surveyed in 2024 with prices 159pc higher than the EU27 average.
Luxembourg was the most expensive country for food and non-Alcoholic Beverages within the European Union and the Eurozone, which is made up of 20 countries.
Romania was the least expensive of the European Union countries, while Slovakia was the least expensive within the Eurozone.
Daragh Cassidy of price comparison site Bonkers.ie said it has been known for a while that Ireland is an expensive country and these figures from Eurostat confirm that.
“There are several reasons why prices here are so high,” he has said.
“These include our higher wages, a lack of competition in certain sectors, high taxation on certain goods such as tobacco, alcohol and fuel, and lower government subsidies in certain areas such as public transport and childcare compared to our European neighbours.”
He said businesses are also faced with high insurance and energy costs, which then get passed on to consumers.
Mr Cassidy said Ireland will never be a cheap place to live.
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