The price of the grocery basket has reached unprecedented levels this year. Since 2022, prices have been on the rise, according to DECO PROteste, with July 16 marking a record high over the past three years, reaching 245€.
Overall, the basket is 13€ more expensive this year compared to 2024. Since DECO PROteste began analyzing the basket in 2022, which contained the exact same products, it was 52€ cheaper (almost 30% less) than it is today.
In just the past week, for instance, a can of tuna in olive oil increased by eight cents and now costs 2.06 euros. In vegetable oil, it costs slightly less, at 1.64 euros, although it also saw a seven-cent increase.
These two products saw the highest percentage increases in the last week and are still cheaper than at the beginning of the year.
Since the beginning of the year, the product with the most significant price increase has been eggs, with an additional cost of 45 cents, amounting to 28% of the original price. On average, they now cost 2.06€.
The data indicates that families are increasingly finding it difficult to purchase groceries, particularly fresh foods like fruits and vegetables.
The company Too Good to Go, dedicated to combating food waste, offers a solution for those in need of saving money.
Through their app, users can acquire ‘Surprise Bags’ at various establishments. These bags contain foods “in perfect condition,” according to the company, that were not sold during the day. Prices can be discounted by up to 70%.
A standard user saving between one to two surprise bags per week could save approximately 600€ annually.
This saving is calculated by considering the original value of the products compared to what is actually paid through the app.
Savings can be even greater. In 2024, the user who rescued the most surprise bags (over a thousand throughout the year) saved about 7,500 euros. In terms of food waste, they saved a ton of food, which in carbon dioxide emissions is equivalent to five round-trip flights between Lisbon and London.
The company also states that the model aims to provide “access to ready meals and fresh products at low prices,” as well as “more sustainable choices.”
If you’re interested in understanding how this application works, we have made a video of its homepage above, considering Notícias ao Minuto’s location, to showcase offers available within 10 kilometers of the area.
Saving money also benefits the environment.
On average, says Too Good To Go, rescuing one to two ‘Surprise Bags’ prevents about 213 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions per year, equivalent to two round-trip car journeys from Lisbon to Porto.
Furthermore, water savings are noteworthy. Each user can save the equivalent of over 1,200 washing machines, nearly 64,000 liters of water yearly, benefiting both the environment and the user by saving on electricity, gas, and water costs.
