Bratislava – During a press conference on Thursday, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Richard Takáč (Smer-SD) asserted that Slovakia does not rank among the countries with the highest grocery prices in the EU and eurozone. However, members of the opposition in the National Council of the SR countered his claims, noting that food prices in Slovakia have not decreased even after the reduction of the value-added tax (VAT) rate, and in fact, have risen more than in any other EU country, according to TASR.
Takáč pointed out that food inflation was recorded at 2.4% in December, while it increased to 6.3% in December 2023. He remarked, “Inflation in previous years reached double digits, with food inflation soaring to 30% in 2022.”
He also mentioned that food prices in December 2024 fell by 2.4% compared to November. The largest month-to-month declines were observed in items such as milk, eggs, cheese, and meat. Overall, inflation last year was at 2.8%.
In this context, the minister emphasized that Slovakia does not have the highest grocery prices in the EU. He affirmed that the reduction in VAT rates on food positively contributes to lowering prices.
“For years, we believed we had some of the most expensive groceries in the eurozone. However, experts examining actual prices from store cash registers revealed a different story. Slovakia has moved significantly up in the food price ranking, and our groceries are not the most expensive in the eurozone,” Takáč clarified.
He shared that in December he personally checked prices in a retail store by purchasing basic groceries for 75 euros. By early January, that same purchase cost him 70 euros, and by January 31, it was reduced to 63.35 euros.
In response, opposition members expressed doubt over Takáč’s statements, claiming food prices haven’t decreased following the VAT reduction. Július Jakab, Veronika Remišová (Slovakia Movement, For the People, KÚ), and Alojz Hlina (SaS) gathered outside the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Remišová asserted that Minister Takáč should be replaced in the next government reshuffle, alleging that he has misled food producers and farmers, stating, “Every single day he lies to people about the availability of affordable groceries.”
Jakab added that under the current government, food prices have surged more than in any other EU nation. “This government is incompetent; nothing has become cheaper. It’s merely a grand deception by the current administration,” he stressed. He further claimed that Minister Takáč is out of touch with voters, who are feeling the financial strain from Robert Fico’s (Smer-SD) government, which promised cheaper groceries, including significant price differences compared to Poland. (February 6)
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