Greek staple food prices outrun EU averages as dairy rises 8%-15% from 1 October

Prices for several staple foods in Greece are rising at multiples of the European Union average, even though headline food inflation remains close to zero, according to reports published by To Vima and in.gr on the basis of the latest Eurostat figures. Across the food basket as a whole, the annual increase is limited to 0.2% in Greece against 0.3% in the EU.

The divergence sits inside that flat aggregate. Beef is rising at more than double the European pace, meat as a whole at almost four times, and nuts at more than six times. In cheese, Greek shelf prices are still climbing while prices in the EU are falling.

Where the gap is widest

• Beef: +13.5% year on year in Greece against +6.7% in the EU.
• Fresh, chilled and frozen meat overall: +8.5% against +2.2% in the EU.
• Nuts: +12.3% against +1.9%.
• Cheese: +1.5% in Greece in August against a decline of 2.4% in the EU.
• Yoghurt and related products: +0.6% in Greece against -0.4% in the European market.

That cheese and yoghurt divergence predates the new round of dairy increases, which took effect on 1 October at between 8% and 15% according to To Vima and in.gr. ERT, cited by newsit.gr, reports that manufacturers have pre-announced increases on sheep-milk dairy products and puts the rise on feta at 7%.

Sheep milk contracts reset feta economics

Nikos Tachas, press spokesman for the National Interprofessional Organisation of Feta and president of the Union of Greek Cheesemakers, linked the pressure to a shortage of sheep and goat milk caused by animal disease, speaking on the Oikonomikos Tachydromos programme on Meganews. He said new contracts raise the purchase price of sheep milk from €1.65 to €1.90 per kilo.

The pass-through to feta is close to mechanical. With four kilos of milk needed for one kilo of cheese, the extra 25 cents per kilo of milk adds one euro per kilo to the raw material bill. Tachas estimates that, together with other operating costs, average retail feta could move to roughly €16 per kilo by the end of the year from about €13 today. He added that in fresh products the cost passes through faster, because milk is collected, processed and placed on the shelf within a short period.

Grain and fuel extend the list

newsit.gr reports that further increases are expected beyond dairy, with toast bread and breakfast cereals next in line, driven by higher international grain prices. The report attributes the pressure to the geopolitical backdrop, specifically renewed fighting in the Iran and Ukraine wars, and to a supply chain already affected by continuous changes in fuel prices.

Regulator seeks to hold the line

The Independent Market Control Authority is asking manufacturers to extend an existing price-reduction measure by two more months, to the end of 2026. So far 440 product codes have been approved for sale at lower prices until 31 December 2026 — 373 branded and 67 private label, according to newsit.gr.

The authority is also preparing a festive basket under the working name “Holidays for All”, with approaches made to manufacturers and supermarkets. The target is price cuts of around 25% on selected food codes, while meats — turkey, beef, lamb and pork — would be exempt from the 25% rule, with reductions required to be at least 5%. If manufacturers and retailers agree, the scheme would run in the last two weeks of December, most likely from 19 to 31 December.

Demand is already responding to the shelf. Tachas said the Greek consumer “has unfortunately lost purchasing power”, describing reduced feta purchases and a shift towards cheaper white cheese.