Greek households continue to pay more for staples despite deflation, according to a survey conducted by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT). Despite efforts made by the government to lower prices of basic goods, a shopping basket now costs more to fill than it did in 2011. ELSTAT’s survey included 54 basic goods such as milk, frozen fish, cleaning and personal care products. The results show that, in the period between January 2011 and August 2014, the prices of 31 of the surveyed products have climbed as high as 13.75 percent. The price of meat – fresh and frozen – has seen a steep increase, with prices of beef going up by 5 percent since early 2011. Fresh and frozen fish, meanwhile, has gone up by 6 percent during the same period. Dairy products are also more expensive, despite efforts made by the Greek government to lower the price of milk, which is among the highest in the Eurozone. More specifically, milk is now more expensive by 8.25 percent, yogurt has gone up by 8.76 percent, feta cheese by 5.34 percent and cheeses generally by 5.72 percent. Eggs are also more expensive now than they were in 2011, up by 8.87 percent. But the products that have seen the highest price hike are nuts, with an increase of 13.75 percent, making them something of a luxury item for most households. At the same time, even legumes, a staple of the Greek lower classes, have seen a 2.82 increase in the last three years. All this as the Greek gross domestic product per capita, in terms of purchasing power units, fell behind the European Union average by 25 percent in 2013. While a 100 euro basket of groceries in Greece may cost 117 euros in Germany, the German GDP per capita sits 24 percent above the EU average.
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