Supermarket prices have increased by about 6.6% during the novel Coronavirus crisis, consumer protection organisation, Test-Achats said on Friday.
The organisation noted the main increases have occured at Carrefour and Colruyt, which, however, still remain cheaper than their competitors.
The price of a basket of basic household goods went up, since 1 March, by 5% at Carrefour, by 5% at Colruyt’s Collect & Go service, and by 6.6% at Colruyt itself.
On the other hand, prices have remained stable at Aldi, Intermarché and Match.
A ban on promotions and reductions, which has since been lifted, played a major role in the consumer price increase, according to Test-Achats.
An additional problem for consumers, it said, is that the cheapest version of a product is sometimes unavailable.
While the biggest price increase was at Colruyt, it was still the cheapest supermarket chain, according to Test-Achats.
“The fact that Delhaize announced a general 5% price cut does not change anything in that regard,” Test-Achats added.
The Brussels Times
