Olive oil Prices in Europe: How Much More Are Consumers Paying Since 2021?
Cost of Living · Based on the data from the Consumer Conditions Scoreboard 2025
Between 2021 and 2024 the price of everyday food climbed sharply across Europe, but not every product rose by the same amount. This InfoCons Consumer Protection guide focuses on one of them – olive oil – and shows exactly how much more consumers are paying, and how it compares with the rest of the shopping basket.
InfoCons Consumer Protection – How Much Olive oil Prices Rose (+99.6%)
Across the EU, olive oil prices were about 99.6% higher in December 2024 than in January 2021. That is almost a doubling in price – the largest increase of any everyday food in the study. For households that buy olive oil regularly, this increase is felt directly at the checkout.
InfoCons Consumer Protection – How olive oil compares with the food average. Based on the data from the Consumer Conditions Scoreboard 2025.
InfoCons Consumer Protection – Olive oil vs the Average Shopping Basket
The average increase for all food and non-alcoholic drinks over this period was about 31.9%. At +99.6%, olive oil rose far more than the typical food product – one of the standout increases in the basket.
InfoCons Consumer Protection – Why Olive oil Prices Went Up
Olive oil was hit by a specific problem: adverse weather conditions and disease outbreaks reduced harvest yields, so there was simply less oil available. When supply falls but demand stays high, prices rise sharply – and in this case they nearly doubled.
Prices for this product also rose by very different amounts from one EU country to another, reflecting differences in local supply, taxes, competition and how much each step of production depends on energy.
InfoCons Consumer Protection – What This Means for You as a Consumer
You can soften the impact with a few simple habits. InfoCons Consumer Protection encourages consumers to compare the unit price (price per kilo or per litre) rather than the price on the front of the pack, try own-brand or store-brand versions, watch for “shrinkflation” where the pack gets smaller for the same price, and buy in the right quantity to avoid waste. With olive oil, it is worth comparing different bottle sizes and brands, as price gaps can be large.
Signature: InfoCons Consumer Protection Department