The Spanish Horeca sector raises its prices by 8.43%

Barcelona, March 21, 2022 – The widespread inflation has been reflected in the Horeca sector, with the average price of gastronomic offerings increasing by 8.43% over the last two years, comparing January 2022 with January 2020, just before the pandemic. This is the main conclusion of the report prepared by Delectatech, a Big Data company specialized in the restaurant sector, which analyzed figures from over 250,000 establishments in Spain and 25,000 menus.

The largest year-on-year increases (comparing the entirety of 2021 with 2020) were seen in sandwiches (8.55%), sweets and desserts (5.27%), starters (3.37%), and fish (2.08%) across the country.

When comparing January 2022 with January 2020 for products derived from certain raw materials such as wheat or dairy, price increases reached up to 10% for most items on Spanish restaurant menus. For example, eating a pizza or bread at a restaurant can cost up to 10% more than two years ago. Vegetable oils, used for frying, have risen 71% as a raw material according to the FAO food price index and 31.7% in the retail sector. In Horeca, the impact translated to a 4.95% increase.

For cereals, Delectatech analyzed both durum and soft wheat. While raw material prices rose 39.6%, the consumer basket increased by 13.1% for durum wheat (pasta) and 4.5% for soft wheat (biscuits, pastries). In the Horeca sector, the impact on prices was 1.92% for durum wheat and 10.07% for soft wheat.

In the dairy category, although raw materials increased 27.18% and retail prices (milk and desserts) rose 6.65%, the Horeca sector saw a 7.71% increase. For other high-margin products like coffee, the sector is absorbing the price rise, though further increases are expected in the coming months.

Madrid and Barcelona

In both the Madrid region and Catalonia, the impact on Horeca over the last two years has been very similar to the national figure. Restaurant menu prices in Madrid are 8.34% higher than two years ago, comparing January 2022 with January 2020, while Barcelona’s establishments have increased by 8.59% in the same period. Other regions stand out, such as Aragón, with an increase of 12.27%, and Andalucía, with 7.58%.

“The rise in raw material costs and energy expenses has harmed the Horeca sector, slowing its recovery. After the hard months of the pandemic, there was a clear intention to consume among citizens, but this has been curbed by rising gasoline, electricity, and grocery prices. Diners now have less purchasing power to go out for dinner,”

“The war in Ukraine exacerbates the already existing problem of rising raw material and energy costs, but we will have to wait to see its impact on Horeca,” he added.

said Xavier Mallol, CEO and founder of Delectatech.