The price of essential foods eased slightly again this week, but the supermarket bill remains heavy for many families. The food basket analyzed by DECO PROteste fell for the second week in a row, although it remains above the values recorded at the beginning of last year and well above the prices charged in 2022.
The basket made up of 63 essential food products now costs 258.83 euros, 1.58 euros less than the previous week. It is the first time this year that this basket monitored by the consumer protection organization has fallen for two consecutive weeks, according to .
Despite this recent drop, the same set of products continues to weigh more on the family budget than at the beginning of the year. In January, consumers spent R$17 less to buy exactly the same basket, a difference of 7.03%, according to a weekly analysis by the same association.
Basket still costs more than a year ago
Compared to the same period last year, the difference is also significant. A year ago, consumers were able to buy the same 63 products for 20.38 euros less, which represents a difference of 8.55%.
The increase is even more significant when the comparison goes back to January 2022, when DECO PROteste started to monitor the evolution of this basket. On that date, it was possible to buy the same basic food basket for R$71.13 less, a difference of 37.90%.
The basket includes products from various categories such as meat, fish, frozen, fruits and vegetables, dairy and grocery. Among the foods analyzed are turkey, chicken, horse mackerel, hake, potatoes, carrots, bananas, apples, oranges, rice, spaghetti, sugar, ham, milk, cheese and butter.
Hake, ham and coffee rose the most
Between May 13th and 20th, fresh fish was the product with the biggest percentage increase, rising 16% compared to the previous week. The price rose to 1.65 euros, according to published data.
Packaged extra sliced leg ham also became more expensive, rising 12%, rising to R$2.59 per kilo. Ground roasted coffee increased by 10%, reaching R$0.46.
These variations show that, even in a week in which the total basket fell, some products continued to register relevant increases. The global drop therefore results from the combined behavior of the 63 monitored goods.
Vegetables stand out in annual highs
When the comparison is made with the same period last year, the biggest percentage increases appear in vegetables. Heart cabbage increased by 50% and now costs R$1.89 per kilo.
Zucchini rose 37%, to R$2.25 per kilo, while broccoli rose 33%, reaching R$3.42 per kilo. These increases help explain why food continues to be one of the most pressing expenses for families.
Since January 2022, the highest percentage increases were recorded in beef for cooking, which rose 128% to R$13.26 per kilo, in kale, which increased by 91% to R$1.89 per kilo, and in eggs, which rose 84% to R$2.10.
How prices are monitored
DECO PROteste has been monitoring this food basket since January 2022, analyzing the cost of 63 goods considered essential every week. The methodology is based on prices collected in the main supermarkets with an online store, explains the consumer protection organization.
The objective is to understand how the cost of a representative food basket evolves, allowing prices to be compared week by week, with the beginning of the year, with the same period of the previous year and with the start of monitoring, on the date mentioned above.
Even with this week’s drop, the data shows that the relief still does not compensate for the accumulated increase in recent years. Still, the fact that this is the first time in 2026 that the basic food basket falls in two consecutive weeks may be a factor of ‘hope’ for Portuguese families. For many families, buying the same set of products today continues to require much more effort than it did four years ago.
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