According to SAPO news, today, it cost 57 cents less (-0.43%) than last week, after having risen by 2.47 euros the previous week. Since the beginning of the year, the reduction has been 0.66 euros (-0.49%).

But not all products covered by the measure are cheaper. Among the products that have become more expensive in the last six months are: broccoli (50%), orange (50%), extra virgin olive oil (20%), cauliflower (10%), golden apple (8%), gala apple (6%), quick-frozen peas (4%), red potatoes (3%), bread without crust (2%) and liquid yogurt (1%).

In the last week, between October 11th and 18th, the following products registered the biggest percentage increase in the zero VAT basket monitored by DECO PROTESTE: liquid yogurt (10%), extra virgin olive oil (10%), red potatoes (8 %), cod (8%), spaghetti (7%), horse mackerel (7%), turkey leg (6%), bread with no crust (6%), frozen peas (5%), salted butter (5%).

The VAT exemption on more than 40 foods results from an agreement signed on March 27th between the Government, food retail and agri-food production. The measure aims to mitigate the effects of food price increases and is in force until the end of this year, after being extended by the Government on September 7th (the measure was scheduled to end on October 31st).

The list of products that now have zero VAT was defined based on recommendations from the Directorate-General for Health. It includes the foods most consumed by families in Portugal, according to information provided by the association that represents food distribution companies.

The price of the 'normal' basket also rose: 0.18 cents

The price of the basket of 63 essential goods monitored by DECO PROTESTE, which rose by 3.53 euros last week, rose again, but by 0.18 euros, this week. It now costs 220.73, plus 0.08%.

If we compare this value with the same period last year, the price of the basket rose by 6.43 euros (3.00% more).

In the last week, the 10 products with the biggest percentage increases were cereals (27%), roasted ground coffee (16%), liquid strawberry yogurt, virgin olive oil (10%), cereal flakes (9%), red potatoes (8%), spaghetti (7%), horse mackerel (7%) and turkey leg.

Between February 23, 2022, the eve of the start of the war in Ukraine, and October 18 of this year, the products that saw their prices rise the most were virgin olive oil (94%), oranges (92%), rice carolino (76%), tomato pulp (73%), onion (65%), white sugar (59%), cereal flakes (56%), red potato (55%), maria biscuit (48%) and fresh hake (47%).

Looking at product categories, the biggest percentage increases since the start of the war were recorded in grocery (32.28%, plus 13.61 euros), and in meat (19.69%, plus 6.35 euros).