A survey from the Office of National Statistics is causing heated discussion after it revealed that Britons pay as much as 94 percent more for tobacco products and 43 percent more for Alcohol than most of Europe. The survey looked at top household costs such as food and alcohol and compared them to 27 European countries.
The UK pays, on average, four percent more for food and drinks than the EU27 – a grouped average of all surveyed European countries. Notable expenses for British families include dairy products, which are seven percent more expensive than the European average, and alcohol, which is 43 percent higher than the average.
Despite falling into the top half of the survey, the UK is a far less expensive place to live than most European countries. Norway was ranked first, with food prices over 80 percent higher than the European average and alcoholic products an astounding 170 percent more expensive than the average price across 28 countries.
The UK’s high alcohol prices have been blamed on beer duties – which were recently abolished – and red tape for venues that serve alcoholic beverages. UK residents pay significantly more for alcoholic beverages than the French and Germans, who pay an average of 12 percent and 18 percent less for alcoholic drinks, respectively.
Despite higher-than-average food and alcohol prices, some aspects of life in the UK are less expensive than the European average. Breads and cereals, a major part of our national diet, are 11 percent lower than average, while the cost of meat fell in line with the European average.
Macedonia was ranked as one of Europe’s least expensive countries, with prices for most products falling far below the average. The Netherlands and Spain also scored well on the survey, with both countries offering a high standard of living at below-average prices.
