Households spend less on fruit and veg, and more on fish and sweets

In 2012, food expenditure was estimated at €611 million, a decline of 2.2 per cent over 2011. The share of household expenditure on food was estimated at 12.8 per cent of total private final expenditure in the domestic market in 2012.

In 2012, there was a decrease in household spending on most food items, ranging from a 0.2 per cent decline in expenditure on vegetables, to a 10.1 per cent drop in respect of fruit when compared to 2011. On the other hand, increases of 9.2 per cent were registered in household expenditure on fish and of 3.2 per cent on sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery.

Last year, food inflation measured on the basis of the 12-month moving average rate was 4.7 per cent, while the annual rate was 6 per cent. Food prices were higher, mainly in respect of sugar, vegetables, eggs, fish and meat.

Latest figures for 2012 put the value of imported foodstuffs at €496 million, an increase of 15 per cent when compared to 2011. An increase was recorded in most food products, mainly fish (+80.2 per cent) and cereals (+30.2 per cent). Malta's food exports advanced by 38.4 per cent to an estimated value of €180 million when compared to 2011. This was mainly due to an increase in the exports of fish and cereals, by 181.8 and 150.9 per cent respectively.