in 10 years the price has risen by over 50%, where you save (according to Altroconsumo)- Corriere.it

In recent months there has been much talk of the increase in the price of bread. An increase that is motivated on the one hand by the war between Russia and Ukraine, which mainly impacts on the cost of raw materials, and on the other hand by the inflationary trend. Watch out for: looking closely at the data, it emerges that the phenomenon began much earlier. In particular – as demonstrated by an analysis carried out by Altroconsumo – from 2017 to today the price of leavened bread has increased by more than 30%. In the last ten years, inflation has even exceeded 50%.

Bakeries and supermarkets: cross-cutting inflation

The trend affects all channels across the board: from bakeries to large-scale distribution. Specifically in the former, the price per kilo of rolls and loaves made with pureed soft wheat, from 2012 to today, from just under 2 euros to 4.66 euros, an increase of 58%. In the same period, superstores, hypermarkets and discount stores raised the price from 1.96 euros to 3.64 euros, an increase of 86%.

… but the supermarkets remain cheaper

Although the adjustment of price lists implemented by large-scale retailers in the last 10 years is more significant than that of bakeries (+ 86% vs. + 58%), supermarkets and the like are still cheaper. On average the difference is around 30%. However, in the case of some specific products such as the baguette, it can be as high as 50%. Behind this difference – explains Altroconsumo – there is also the different production methods: in large-scale distribution, baguettes can be made starting from semi-finished products, the cooking of which is then finished in the point of sale.

The differences between the cities

Among the types of bread, the least expensive is the one made with soft wheat. The average price per kilo, considering the various channels, is 4.22 euros. This is followed by products made with durum wheat flour, whose average price is 4.86 euros per kilo. The most expensive is wholemeal bread, which costs an average of 5 euros per kilo, i.e. 19% more than soft wheat bread. Much depends, however, on the city. From one center to another there are significant variations, which can exceed 50%. Thus, for example, according to the findings of Altroconsumo, in Naples the average price per kilo of bread is just over 3 euros (3.05) while in Milan it is close to 5 (4.85) and in Bolzano it is more (5, 01).