Europeans are afraid of rising prices. And that there will be no food due to the war in Ukraine

Recent opinion polls in the EU show that the inhabitants of the Community feel the effects of the war in Ukraine firsthand, especially when it comes to the rising cost of living, including the drastic increase in food prices. A report on changes in eating habits in times of crisis, prepared by a consortium of European universities led by the Danish Aarhus University, revealed that more than half of Europeans (55%) have no doubt that Russia’s aggression has disrupted supply chains and led to the fact that food production can be at risk, and 54 percent considers the war to be the main cause of rising food prices in Europe.

Research has also shown that one in two EU citizens seriously fears that war could lead to food shortages. ‘The ongoing war in Ukraine has exposed how fragile our food system is,’ says Dr Andy Zynga of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, which funded the research.

Less meat and fish

Consumers have noticed an increase in the prices of most products in stores. Animal products, including meat, fish and dairy, jumped the most. Grains, fruits and vegetables also rose in price. The prices of alcoholic beverages increased slightly less than those of non-alcoholic beverages, such as juices and carbonated beverages. At the same time, almost half of the respondents believe that food producers and retailers artificially raise prices using the argument of war just to maximize their profits. However, this does not change the fact that EU consumers have changed their eating habits to adapt to the market situation. EU residents admit that they buy less, switch to cheaper brands and are more willing to shop at discount stores.

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Four out of ten consumers declare that they buy less meat, a third have reduced their purchases of fish and dairy products. Some consumers, in order to save money, completely resigned from buying certain categories of food, including, for example, snacks such as chips or sticks, and 10 percent. of respondents declared that they had stopped buying alcoholic beverages altogether. In the case of products such as breakfast cereals or dairy products, on average, every third respondent says that they have started buying cheaper brands. Consumers are making more informed food choices than ever before.

More than half check and compare product prices (before the pandemic, only 31 percent of consumers paid attention to prices), and four out of ten people admit that they make unplanned purchases less often. Buyers more often than in the past also check the expiration dates of products and compare their compositions. ‘We hope that the results of our study will help policymakers to respond appropriately to consumers’ concerns about rising food prices,’ commented Prof. Klaus G. Grunert from Aarhus University.

Europeans are afraid of war

The latest commissioned Eurobarometer survey shows that the rising cost of living is the most pressing concern from the perspective of almost all (93%) EU citizens. The highest scores were recorded in Greece, where this concern was declared by as much as 100 percent. respondents, in Cyprus (99%), Italy and Portugal (both 98%). Nearly half of EU residents say their standard of living has already declined, citing the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and inflation as causes; 39 percent says they have not yet experienced a deterioration in their living conditions, but expect it to in the coming year. – This gives a rather gloomy outlook for 2023 – admit the authors of the report.

In Poland, rising prices, including energy and food prices, are worrying 97 percent of consumers. citizens, in Germany – 93 percent. The smallest concerns in this respect are declared by Swedes (74%) and Danes (77%). The second most frequently mentioned concern by Europeans is the risk of poverty and social exclusion, which is feared by 82% of Europeans. asked. In Poland, 85% have these fears, in Germany 76%. Europeans are also afraid of the spread of war. 81% fear a world war EU citizens, although there are differences between Member States. The fact that other countries will also be involved in the war is feared by as many as 91 percent of respondents. Poles, 79 percent. Germans and only 62 percent. Dutch.

Pessimistic Poles

Meanwhile, despite the crisis, six in ten Europeans say they are optimistic about the future of the EU. Anyway, citizens’ support for the European Union has recently increased and today it is 62 percent. consider EU membership a “good thing” and 72% believe that their country has benefited from belonging to the Community. However, individual Member States are less optimistically assessed by their citizens. Only residents of Luxembourg, Malta and Ireland believe that “things in their country are going in the right direction”.

Citizens of the other 24 countries, however, see it differently, with the most critical here being Slovaks, Spaniards, Croats, French and Poles. In Poland, as much as 70 percent. of residents believe that the country is going “in the wrong direction”. In addition, Poles, Portuguese and Romanians were also among the most pessimistic about the direction in which their private lives are developing. For example, only 47 percent of Poles are satisfied with their life situation. In the entire EU, the most satisfied nation in this respect are the Luxembourgers, the Irish and the Swedes.