The price of grapes in supermarkets and hypermarkets has increased by up to 227 percent in the last two months. This is one of the conclusions from price monitoring carried out by Facua-Consumidores en Acción in eight major supermarkets and hypermarkets in the country throughout the year.
A 500-gram package of El Mercado brand seedless grapes was offered for sale at Aldi in October at a price of 1.19 euros. While already in November its price rose to 3.19 euros, this December it rose again to 3.89 euros. The price increase of this product in this German chain was 227% in just two months.
While the price of a 500 gram tray of seedless white grapes in Alcampo was 1.79 euros in October, it increased to 1.92 euros in November and 3.00 euros in December. (67% increase). At Mercadona, the increase in the same period was 56% (from 1.75 to 2.73 euros); 56.3% at Eroski (from 1.74 to 2.72 euros) and 53.7% at Lidl (from 1.69 in October to 2.69 euros in December). At Carrefour, the same package of grapes was 1.84 euros in October, rising to 2.25 euros in November and reaching 2.65 euros in December (44% increase).
Facua recalls that VAT on grapes, like other fruits and other staple foods, has now been reduced from 4% to 0%. According to the royal decree under which this measure is in force, the price of any of these products cannot increase unless justified by an increase in cost. The consumer organization also compared the price of grapes in December 2022 with the price in the last month of 2023. Prices were taken on December 5, 12, 15 and 18.
At Aldi, a 500g tray of El Mercado brand seedless grapes now costs €3.89 compared to €2.69 in December last year (44% more expensive).
Lidl also increased the price of this product by 35 percent compared to December 2022. While the 500 gram package was 2.69 euros this year, it went on sale on December 30 last year for 1.99 euros.
In Mercadona, a tray of 500 grams of seedless white grapes was 2.50 euros in December last year, and this December it was 2.73 euros (9% more). At Hipercor, a kilo of white seedless grapes is 9 percent more expensive this year than last year. They were sold in December 2022 for 6.95 euros and in December 2023 for 7.59 euros.
For its part, there are three chains where it is cheaper to buy this highly demanded product for New Year’s Eve than it was a year ago. For example, the price of a 500 gram pack of seedless grapes in Alcampo was 3.19 euros in December 2022, but is now 3.00 euros (6% cheaper).