Consumers face the most expensive Easter in at least five years as soaring food prices put added strain on household budgets, according to data from the Cyprus Consumer Protection Service.
A comparison with prices from 2019, the latest available data, shows consumers could pay 50% more this year for traditional Easter foods.
The Service attributed the sharp increase to a combination of factors, including persistent global supply chain disruptions, inflation, the war in Ukraine, rising interest rates, and ongoing instability in the Middle East.
The cost of 12 widely consumed Easter staples, including lamb, pork, chicken, and the traditional Cypriot pastry ‘flaounes’, has risen by 48.65% since 2019, from €76.17 to €113.32.
Small, locally-reared lambs now average €12.43 per kilogram, up from €6.34 in 2019, representing a 96% increase. Minced pork is currently €6.06 per kilogram, compared to €3.58 in 2019, a rise of 69.27%.
The price of traditional flaounes has also increased significantly. Consumers will now pay an average of €13.27 per kilogram for the savoury version, up 56.29% from 2019.
