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Takáč: Slovakia does not have the most expensive food in the EU and the eurozone; the opposition questions this

by AI | 06.Feb 2025 | Europe in brief AI

Minister of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic Richard Takáč claims that the VAT reduction led to cheaper food, the opposition rejects this.

The Minister of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic, Richard Takáč, declared that the reduction of VAT led to cheaper food. PHOTO: TASR

Bratislava – Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Richard Takáč (Smer-SD) stated at a press conference on Thursday that Slovakia is far from having the most expensive groceries among EU and eurozone countries. Opposition members of the National Council of the SR responded that food prices in Slovakia did not decrease even after the reduction of the value-added tax (VAT) rate and, on the contrary, increased the most among all EU countries, reports TASR.

Takáč reminded that food inflation was at 2.4% last December. In December 2023, it was at 6.3%. “In previous periods, inflation reached double digits. In 2022, food inflation reached 30%,” said Takáč.

According to him, food prices in December compared to November 2024 even decreased by 2.4%. The most significant month-on-month price drop was recorded in groceries such as milk, eggs, cheese, or meat. Overall, inflation was at 2.8% last year.

The head of the agricultural department stated in this context that Slovakia is far from having the most expensive groceries among EU countries. He also confirms that the reduction of VAT rates on groceries positively affects the reduction of their prices.

“For years, we were convinced that we have expensive groceries – among the most expensive in the eurozone. However, it was enough for experts to look at the actual prices directly from store cash registers, and reality showed itself. In Slovakia, we suddenly moved from the bottom of the food price ranking almost to its top. The groceries we buy are not the most expensive in the eurozone,” clarified Takáč.

The minister reminded that in December, he personally checked food prices in a retail chain, purchasing basic groceries for 75 euros. At the beginning of January, the same purchase cost him 70 euros, and by January 31, it was only 63.35 euros.

However, opposition members also responded on Thursday that food prices in Slovakia did not decrease even after the VAT rate was lowered. Július Jakab, Veronika Remišová (Slovakia Movement, For the People, KÚ), and Alojz Hlina (SaS) attended the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development building. According to Remišová, Minister Takáč should be replaced at the next government reconstruction because “he deceived the food producers, deceived the farmers, and every single day he lies to people how they can be satisfied, shopping for cheap groceries,” added Remišová.

According to Jakab, during the tenure of the current government, food prices in Slovakia increased the most among all EU countries. “This government is incompetent, nothing got cheaper. It’s all just a huge lie of the current government,” emphasized Jakab. According to him, Minister Takáč underestimates voters who feel in their wallets the deception of Robert Fico’s (Smer-SD) government, which promised cheaper groceries and also shop for groceries tens of percent cheaper, for example, in Poland. (February 6)