People From The USA And Other Countries Show How Much Groceries Cost Where They Live (30 Pics)

Food prices are on fire, and chances are you probably have felt it already. In fact, they were a whopping 9.4% higher in April 2022 than in April 2021 which made it the largest annual increase in 41 years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile, grocery prices jumped 10.8% for the year and that does not reflect seasonal swings.

A number of factors are to blame for the rising food prices. They range from something as simple as bad weather and post-pandemic disruptions in supply chains, and increased demand due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which has increased wheat and other commodity prices.

In the US, the deadly and highly infectious avian flu left local farmers with no option but to kill millions of egg-laying hens. As a result, the country's egg supply was substantially reduced which drove up prices. The damage to the egg industry hit consumers hard in April when egg prices soared 10.3%, adjusted for seasonal changes. Without those adjustments, egg prices spiked 22.6% over the 12 months ending in April.

Among many foods, meat and dairy products got significantly pricier. Bacon cost 17.7% more, and chicken prices were up by 16.4%, CNN reports. Meanwhile, butter and margarine together went up by 19.2% and milk prices went up 14.7%, with fresh whole milk jumping 15.5%.

Moreover, flour prices have also seen a whopping surge of 14% and coffee by 13.5%. As you may already have noticed, fruits and vegetables also got a lot more expensive, as citrus shot up 18.6% and lettuce rose 12.7%. Simultaneously, canned fruits and veggies were also affected with a price increase of 10.4%.

For those who enjoy eating out at restaurants every now and then, this may become a luxury. According to CNN, menu prices grew 7.2% for the year, because operators raised prices to counterbalance the surge in the cost of produce.

But America is far from the only place that has been affected by drastic inflation and skyrocketing prices. A similar situation has been reported in the UK, as well as many European countries. Many shoppers have already felt the hit of increased grocery bills and they are now sharing what and how much food money can buy them in different places around the world.

Bored Panda reached out to a Redditor named Pressureshack who recently moved from the US to Munich in Germany.

“What I first noticed (due to the war in Ukraine) is that sunflower oil (the most common cooking oil in Munich) quickly disappeared, then all other cheaper oils also became unavailable with only olive oil left,” the Redditor said and added that sunflower oil is back but more expensive. He posted this grocery haul that cost him $30.25 in one of the subreddits.

Moreover, a lot of his usual brands became pricier: “From 1.99 to 2.50 EUR for oatmeal or .99 to 1.20 EUR for ham, a euro more for chicken. Tiny differences, but they add up.”

Pressureshack who now lives in Munich said that he constantly shops for 50% off items nearing the expiration date. This way, he can eat them immediately or freeze them for later. Moreover, “right before closing time and on Saturdays (stores are closed on Sundays) is when I go to find the most of these clearance deals. It's like thrift grocery shopping.”

“It also means I go shopping more often just to browse which items are on clearance, sometimes walking from one Lidl to another. It makes meal planning more difficult, but it is also saving me a lot of money,” the Redditor explained.