In the early portion of October, the so-called Sandwich Coffee Index, also known by some as Buterbrodex, shifted downward by 0.8 points, settling at 113.9 on the index scale. This movement was reported by RIA News, which cited data gathered from the analytical source called Control Index. The metric tracks a representative basket built around everyday staples and a daily morning pick me up, offering a snapshot of how basic meals and beverages influence household budgets over time. The headline takeaway is that while some elements of the breakfast assortment edged higher in price, others either held steady or rose more modestly, contributing to a net dip in the overall value of the basket at that particular moment.
The calculated sandwich basket consists of seven components measured in standard retail weights: loaf bread at 400 grams, ham at 200 grams, butter at 180 grams, cheese at 200 grams, cucumber at 500 grams, coffee at 95 grams, and sugar at 1 kilogram. Analysts who monitor this indicator focus on the average invoice for each item, which reflects typical consumer purchases rather than one-off or promotional sales. Looking at the second half of September, the typical prices were recorded as follows: loaf bread at 37 rubles, ham at 183 rubles, butter at 153 rubles, cheese at 183 rubles, cucumbers at 89 rubles, coffee at 182 rubles, and sugar at 66 rubles. These baseline figures provide the reference point from which October movements are measured, enabling a clearer view of price dynamics across the basket rather than focusing on any single item. In the first half of October, price pressure was observed on several categories: ham rose by 2.7 percent to 188 rubles, coffee increased by 1.6 percent to 185 rubles, and cheese likewise advanced by 1.1 percent to 185 rubles. By contrast, cucumbers and sugar showed notable price inflations that helped push the overall cost of the basket in different directions: cucumbers increased by 7.9 percent to 82 rubles, and sugar climbed by 3 percent to 64 rubles. Bread and butter remained stable during this period, providing a balancing effect on the composite index. These shifts illustrate how a mix of higher prices in some items and relatively favorable movements in others can steer the overall index, even as some staple components act as anchors that resist change. This nuanced pattern highlights the sensitivity of a composite price index to changes within each subcategory, as well as the degree to which consumer buying choices and dietary preferences influence reported figures over short windows.
The index value is anchored to a base of 100 points in the first half of October 2022, and subsequent changes are calculated as the arithmetic average of the individual item dynamics within the basket. In order to provide an alternate lens on daily consumption, a hypothetical “coffee sandwich index” can be computed using a classic breakfast recipe: two slices of loaf bread totaling 50 grams, 20 grams of butter, 50 grams of ham, 20 grams of cheese, 20 grams of cucumber, and a cup of coffee with two teaspoons of instant coffee totaling 9.5 grams plus 20 grams of sugar. When this breakfast configuration is priced, it yields a value of 122.8 rubles, which then forms the basis for the overarching index. This approach helps consumers and analysts compare everyday meals with the more aggregate target and understand how small changes in ingredients can ripple through the overall cost structure. The practical upshot is that the index serves as a useful barometer of household food and beverage costs, illustrating how changes in commodity prices, supply chains, and consumer demand can collectively influence a typical morning meal’s price trajectory.
Meanwhile, broader price benchmarks have captured attention, including references to the Big Mac index, which in early August indicated notable price increases in the United States. These parallel signals from widely cited indicators help observers gauge relative price levels across different markets, offering a comparative perspective on how fast food and snack items behave in varying economic environments. The narrative around August also noted a growth trend in Russia for the Coffee Sandwich Index, reinforcing the idea that regional factors—such as currency movements, harvest yields, and seasonal demand—interact with global price pressures to shape consumer costs. Taken together, these data points paint a more complete picture of how everyday purchases, from coffee to cucumbers, respond to the interplay of local circumstances and international price movements.