European fresh food prices rise as diesel protests empty southern Italian shelves

European food prices have seen modest overall increases this year, but fresh produce is becoming significantly more expensive, Euronews reported. In France, fresh produce prices have risen by 8%, while supply disruptions have caused empty supermarket shelves across southern Italy. [1]

For approximately two weeks in late October, lorry drivers protesting against the cost of diesel blocked roads and ports throughout southern Italy, according to Euronews. Consequently, warehouses stopped loading goods, leaving fruit aisles half empty in supermarkets across Naples and other southern regions. [1]

The transport blockades caused rapid shortages in Campania, Puglia, and Calabria, where shelves of meat, fresh milk, fruit, and bottled water emptied within a single day in some small shops, Euronews reported. In October, unprocessed food costs in Italy increased by 7.5% compared to the previous year, rising from a 5.5% annual increase recorded in September. [1]

The food inflation figures follow broader economic trends in the country. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Italy's annual inflation rate jumped to 5.4% in October, up from 4.2% in September, driven primarily by rising energy, transport, and food costs. [9]