The evils of inflation are still relevant. After having already increased by 11% between 2021 and 2022, the prices of fruit and vegetables soared by 16% between June 2022 and June 2023, lamented on Wednesday the association for the defense of consumers Rural families, which publishes an observatory of prices of everyday consumer goods. The kilogram of “conventional” bananas (that is to say not from organic farming) at 2.51 euros, or 30% more expensive than a year earlier; 15.23 euros per kilo of organic round strawberries (22%), 2.96 euros per kilo of organic carrots (35%)… The price of most fruits and vegetables has risen sharply in one year.
Volunteers from the Familles Rurales association carried out, as they do every year during this period, price readings in different types of shops, hypermarkets, supermarkets, discounters and organic specialists. In total, 114 readings of 9 fruits and 10 vegetables were carried out from June 7 to 21 in 39 departments. In detail, the price of the fruit basket has increased by 14% in conventional and 8% in organic, that of the vegetable basket by 17% in conventional and 15% in organic.
Result: to eat 5 fruits and vegetables per day and per person and respect the official recommendations of the National Health Nutrition Plan (PNNS), a family of 2 adults and 2 children “had to spend between 134 and 241 euros” monthly, “i.e. between 10% and 18% of a monthly net minimum wage”, notes the association. By being satisfied with the 5 cheapest fruits and vegetables of the summer (banana, watermelon, cucumber, lettuce and zucchini or carrot), it still costs between 65 euros (in conventional) and 100 euros (in organic) per month to this family.
In the 10 years since 2013, the surge in the price of fruit and vegetables has been spectacular, notes Rural Families based on INSEE (National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies): the price of fruit has appreciated by 43% over the period, that of vegetables 73%. “Over the same period, food prices and the general consumer price index increased by 28% and 17% respectively,” observes the association, which campaigns for the establishment of a food allowance dedicated to healthy products, up to 65 euros per month for the least privileged households. The association also calls for “better regulation of margins”, the current system penalizing according to it “consumers as much as producers”.
