This year, shoppers planning a Kulich baking project found the total price of the essential ingredient basket slipping by 2 percent compared with the prior year. For the average Russian household, the cost hovered around 905.83 rubles, while a comparable basket in 2024 stood at 921.04 rubles. Data from the Tax RT analysis on a financial data platform supports these figures, illustrating how seasonal cooking costs hinge on market dynamics and holiday demand.
Eggs and coloring sets showed a notable downward drift, falling by 12 percent year over year. At the same time, the dye itself dropped about 7 percent, priced around 38.3 rubles. Looking a week ahead of the holiday, egg prices continued to ease, with overall averages near 134.92 rubles, marking roughly a 14 percent decrease from the previous year. This pattern reflects tighter supply cycles and seasonal pricing that often accompany festive baking across households.
Milk prices also shifted upward in this period, averaging 95.82 rubles with an increase of about 22 percent from last year. A separate category listed as UN reached 102.35 rubles, up by roughly 17 percent. Other staple components tracked in the same market show mixed motion: products labeled TSUKATS averaged 179.3 rubles, down 17 percent, while prices at 87.78 rubles and 105.83 rubles rose by 12 percent each, and a higher-priced item at 199.83 rubles declined by 7 percent. Taken together, these movements underscore a broad spectrum of price changes across dairy, grains, and specialty items used in Kulich preparation.
Finished Kulich loaves followed suit in the pricing trend, with the average cost increasing by about 21 percent to around 143.4 rubles. The overall shift signals a broader rise in prepared goods alongside the more modest easing observed in some raw ingredients, a combination familiar to households cooking for Easter and other celebrations as markets adjust to demand spikes and supply constraints.
Alexander Panchenko of the Agro and Food Communications Agency, a principal observer in these markets, noted that the same price growth pattern appears in ready-made Kulich products. He added that while store-bought options can be cheaper, many bakers still find homemade Kulich more flavorful and satisfying, given the control over ingredients and preparation. This perspective helps explain why families sometimes choose to bake at home despite price fluctuations in retail offerings.
In the opening discussions of the year, the Duma raised questions about the sale of gilded, elitist Easter cakes, reflecting a broader concern with tradition, value, and consumer protection in festive foods. The debate highlights how cultural practices intertwine with market pricing, shaping both consumer choices and regulatory scrutiny during the holiday season. [Source: Tax RT analysis]