Central Bureau of Statistics

Inflation is rising again for the first time in months. In February inflation rose from 7.6 to 8.0 percent. It is mainly food and drink that became more expensive. Figures from Statistics Netherlands show that food, beverages and tobacco were 15.1 percent more expensive in February than a year ago.

In the autumn, inflation peaked at more than 14 percent. Subsequently, inflation declined, but that has now come to an end. Inflation also rose in other European countries in the past month.

The prices of various commodities such as grain and fats have fallen in recent months, but this is not noticeable in the shops. “Producers are still busy passing on higher costs from the past,” says Sebastiaan Schreijen, food price analyst at Rabobank. “There is always a delay of months before the customer notices the higher costs in the stores.”

He points to packaging costs that remain high and labor costs that are rising sharply. For the time being, therefore, according to him, there will be no end to the price increases.

“This may not come to an end until the summer,” says Schreijen. “Perhaps some prices will also fall, but then the producer will first have to pass on the lower prices to the supermarket. And then the shops will also have to incorporate this into their prices. So the question is whether you, as a consumer, will see it reflected in the Prices.”

Frans Muller, the highest boss of Ahold Delhaize (Albert Heijn) said two weeks ago that he expects producers to lower their prices quickly. “Those are the agreements we have made with suppliers. If raw material prices come down, they have to come down too.”

Inflation is therefore also rising in other European countries. Inflation in Germany rose to 9.3 percent (from 9.2 percent). In Spain it amounted to 6.1 percent (previously 5.9 percent) and in France inflation rose to 7.2 percent (previously 7 percent).