Over the course of the year, the price of bread may increase by another 20%

Food prices in Ukraine rose almost continuously last year, and in particular, the price of bread increased by up to 20%. As noted in a UNIAN publication, the highest increase in food prices contributed to inflation, which exceeded 12%.

Prices were impacted by the war, as the lack of personnel required investment in equipment to replace human labor, and during summer, amid power supply issues, producers and processors faced significant costs as they sought alternatives to centralized electricity. Factors affecting the cost of food last year will be similar this year, which means the price of bread will continue to rise.

Overall, inflation in the consumer market in November 2024 compared to October was 1.9%, and 10.4% since the beginning of the year. In the consumer market, food and non-alcoholic beverage prices rose by 3.9% compared to the previous month. The most significant increase was in egg prices, which rose by 54.6%. Prices for vegetables, milk and dairy products, vegetable oil, grain processing products, bread, non-alcoholic beverages, pasta, fish, and fish products increased by between 13.7% and 1.5%. At the same time, fruit and sugar prices decreased by 1.5% and 1.3%, respectively. Almost a quarter (24.7%) increase in fruit prices occurred, while milk rose by 16.6% and bread by 15.8%. The only price that decreased over the past year was sugar, which dropped by 3.6%.

In fact, it is expected that the prices of basic food products such as vegetables, bread, milk, and meat will gradually rise throughout 2025. According to RBC-Ukraine, the new harvest expected at the end of spring will somewhat slow down this process. In general, experts predict that food inflation by the end of the year will exceed 10%. A gradual increase in prices for basic products is expected in the coming months, particularly for potatoes, carrots, onions, and eggs. The growth rate will be moderate, approximately 1% to 1.5% per month. In the summer, when the new harvest comes to market, prices may fluctuate.