Food Prices Are Rising Faster Than Minimum Wages in Several European Countries

Rising food costs are putting pressure on the purchasing power of lower-income households, but the impact varies considerably from country to country.

Food prices have become one of the main sources of pressure on household finances across Europe. Over the past five years, food and non-alcoholic beverages have become significantly more expensive across much of the continent, but minimum wages have not evolved at the same rate in every country. The result is an uneven situation: while minimum incomes have risen faster than food prices in some countries, the opposite has happened in others.

This is the main conclusion of an analysis published by Euronews on 27 September 2026, based on Eurostat data and comparing changes in food prices and minimum wages across 26 European countries.

According to the data, between August 2021 and August 2026, food and non-alcoholic beverages became 34% more expensive on average across the European Union. However, there were considerable differences between countries. Hungary recorded an increase of 57%, while prices rose by more than 50% in Bulgaria and Romania. In France, by contrast, the increase was 25%, and in Cyprus it was 21%. Spain recorded an increase of around 35%.

These figures show that the cost-of-living crisis has not affected every part of Europe to the same extent. However, price trends alone do not explain how households have been affected. To assess the consequences, income levels must also be taken into account.

When Wages Fail to Keep Pace with Food Prices

Comparing food prices with minimum wages reveals another dimension of the problem. Wage increases can partially or fully offset the rising cost of groceries. But when food prices rise faster than incomes, people who rely on low wages have less purchasing power available to cover their food expenses.

Spain is one example. During the period analysed, the minimum wage rose by approximately 29%, while food and non-alcoholic beverage prices increased by 35%. According to Euronews’ calculations, this represents an approximate 5% decline in the food purchasing power of someone earning the minimum wage.

This figure does not mean that all Spanish workers have lost 5% of their purchasing power, since the analysis focuses specifically on the relationship between the minimum wage and food prices. Nor does it include other essential expenses such as housing, energy or transport. For this reason, the result should be understood as a specific indicator of the pressure food costs place on lower-income households.

The situation has evolved differently in other European countries. In Germany, for example, the minimum wage increased more than food prices during the period studied, while in France food prices rose faster than minimum incomes.

The Same Inflation, Different Consequences

The European comparison shows that rising food prices alone are not enough to describe the social impact of inflation. Two countries may experience sharp increases in food prices, yet the consequences for households can differ depending on how wages evolve.

This makes food prices an issue directly linked to economic inequality. Low-income households have less room to absorb price increases and may be forced to change their consumption habits.

Such changes do not necessarily mean going without food. They may involve replacing certain products with cheaper alternatives, buying fewer fresh products or limiting dietary variety. As a result, rising grocery costs can ultimately affect not only the quantity of food available, but also people’s ability to maintain a healthy diet.

Differences Across Europe

The situation is particularly significant because countries have not all followed the same trajectory. In some states, minimum-wage increases have been sufficient to outpace rising food prices. In these cases, the theoretical food purchasing power of someone earning the minimum wage has increased.

This has occurred in countries including Hungary, Romania and Croatia. In contrast, in countries such as Spain, France and Malta, the relationship between the two indicators has been less favourable for minimum-wage earners.

Differences are also evident in food price increases. Prices have risen particularly sharply in several Central and Eastern European countries, while some Western European states have recorded more moderate increases.

This diversity makes it difficult to speak of a single “European food crisis”. Instead, there is a combination of different national situations shaped by price trends, wages, public policies and income levels in each society.

Beyond the Cost of Groceries

The Euronews analysis raises an issue that goes beyond inflation: people’s actual ability to access an adequate diet.

The problem, therefore, is not simply whether food is expensive or cheap. It is also necessary to consider what proportion of a household’s income must be spent on food and what resources remain available to meet other basic needs.

This perspective is particularly important when examining food inequality. When a high-income household faces rising prices, it generally has more room to absorb the increase. A low-income household, by contrast, may have far less scope to cut other expenses while maintaining a varied diet.

For this reason, changes in food prices and wages are a relevant indicator of how the impact of inflation is distributed within a society.

Ultimately, the key question is whether rising food costs are being offset by increases in income. The data analysed by Euronews show that the answer varies from country to country and that, in some cases, minimum wages have failed to keep pace with food prices.

This places food at the centre of a debate that is no longer merely economic, but also social: having food available does not guarantee that everyone can afford an adequate and healthy diet.