In September, staple foods—eggs, sugar, buckwheat, rice, sunflower oil, and meat—increased in price by 1.25%. According to economic experts, there are several reasons: from strikes by the russian armed forces on warehouses and logistics, which increase business costs, to seasonal factors and a shortage of domestic supply.
Which products rose in price the most during the first month of autumn, and how much Ukrainians will have to pay for them, was determined by UNN.
How much can eggs be bought for in Ukraine
Eggs saw the biggest price jump over the month. Currently, a standard tray of 10 eggs of the Kvочка brand, category C1, costs an average of UAH 80. Eggs of the Yasensvit brand in the same category are even more expensive: they cost UAH 84.25. For comparison, in August they cost UAH 57.12 and UAH 59.49, respectively. As we can see, the product became 38.3–41.6% more expensive, respectively.
Currently, the cheapest place to buy eggs is the Varus supermarket chain: at a promotional price, they cost UAH 75.50 there. ATB offers them at a slightly higher price—UAH 78.90 for 10 category C1 eggs of the Kvochka brand. If you buy this product at Silpo supermarkets, you will have to pay UAH 84.52.
Yasensvit eggs can be bought more cheaply: from UAH 63.80 at the Varus chain (although this is a promotional rather than a regular price) to UAH 79.90 at ATB stores.
What is happening to sugar prices
Sugar ranked second in the price anti-rating. It became 18% more expensive over the month. Currently, a kilogram of granulated sugar can be bought for an average of UAH 35.82, whereas in August it could be purchased from store shelves for UAH 30.22, despite the preservation season.
As of September 25, Auchan and Metro hypermarkets offer sugar at an advantageous price: UAH 34.90. Sweet purchases at Novus will cost a symbolic nine kopecks more, where a kilogram of sugar costs UAH 34.99. The highest price will have to be paid at the Megamarket chain, where a kilogram of granulated sugar already costs UAH 38.50.
The cheapest place to buy a kilogram of white sugar now is Silpo: it costs UAH 32.99 there. Purchases at ATB and Varus will be slightly more expensive: UAH 34.90 and UAH 39.50, respectively.
Is buckwheat currently affordable for Ukrainians, and where can it be bought most cheaply
Unlike other popular foods, buckwheat rose only slightly in price in September—by 5.1%. While a kilogram of the grain could be bought for UAH 74.63 in August, in September it already costs UAH 78.45.
The most advantageous place to stock up on this grain now is Silpo: there, a kilogram of buckwheat is offered at a promotional price of UAH 54.99. At ATB and Metro, it already costs more—UAH 69.90. Auchan offers customers a kilogram of the grain for UAH 74.90. Novus is at about the same level, with buckwheat priced at UAH 74.99 per kilogram. The highest prices are currently at Varus (buckwheat costs UAH 97.30 per kg) and Megamarket (the price is set at UAH 99 per kg).
How much does rice cost and why has its price skyrocketed
Round-grain rice, unlike buckwheat, rose in price by 13.5% over the month, increasing from UAH 54.71 to UAH 62.07 per kilogram.
Auchan has currently set the lowest price for it—UAH 53.90 per kilogram. It is also выгодно to buy rice at the ATB supermarket chain and Metro hypermarkets, where it costs UAH 54.90 per kg. You will have to pay more at Megamarket—UAH 58.50 per kilogram of rice. Varus offers it for UAH 74.50. Novus set a higher price, where the popular grain already costs UAH 80.99. The highest price for rice is currently at Silpo: there, rice under its own
Premiya brand costs UAH 92.49 per kg.
How much did oil rise in price in September
Prices for sunflower oil rose by approximately 6.6% over the month. While 850 ml of Oleina sunflower oil cost UAH 100.68 in August, by the end of September the price on the shelves of popular supermarkets had been set at UAH 107.30.
The lowest price is currently offered by the ATB supermarket chain: the oil costs 99.85 UAH here. At Varus, the price of Oleina also remains affordable: 99.90 UAH per bottle. A few kopecks more — 99.99 UAH — is the price of a bottle of oil from this brand at Novus. And you will have to pay 101.50 UAH at the checkout in Auchan for refined oil. The highest prices for sunflower oil have currently been set by Silpo and Megamarket: 109 UAH and 112.50 UAH, respectively.
Where it is most выгодно to buy meat in September and how much it costs
As for meat, its price also rose in September. In August, Ukrainians bought a kilogram of pork neck for 314.38 UAH, while in September they already have to pay 346.45 UAH for it. Thus, the price increased by 10.2%.
Despite this, meat can still be bought at a good price. At Silpo, the promotional price for a kilogram of boneless pork neck is currently 279 UAH. Novus and Metro offer a kilogram of this meat for 309 UAH. At Varus, a piece of pork costs 324.90 UAH, while at Megamarket it costs 379 UAH.
Why food prices have increased in Ukraine
First of all, the damage to warehouses and refrigeration equipment, as well as the loss of stock, make storage and delivery more difficult.
Economist Andrii Zablovskyi explained at the beginning of September that switching to small supply batches costs more than transporting large consignments by trucks and refrigerated vehicles.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council Denys Marchuk links the autumn price pressure to seasonal changes in supply. For milk, this is due to a further decline in milk yields during the cold season; for eggs, it is due to a combination of seasonality, energy and logistics costs.
Pork, in turn, has become more expensive for Ukrainians because of a shortage of domestic supply. In other words, the reason lies in an internal shortage of livestock.
Buckwheat, meanwhile, has faced an older problem with production volumes. Back in the spring, Serhii Hromovyi, executive director of the International Buckwheat Association, explained the high prices by reduced acreage and the small harvest of the previous season.
To remind you
Earlier, UNN reported why the consumer basket in Ukraine needs to be changed and what it should be like.