Bargain parade: Austrians are buying more and more reduced foods!

Bargain parade: Austrians are buying more and more reduced foods!

Krone, Österreich - The prices for food in Austria develop in an exciting exchange between discounts and demand. A current Rollama study reveals that almost a third of all foods were bought in 2024, especially animal products such as butter and meat. In response to the increasing cost of living, the Austrians are increasingly using discount campaigns - the Krone that around 50 percent of the purchases of discounted products come from butter and poultry. This development ensures that customers can quickly use reduced prices, but could also decrease the appreciation for food.

The AMA marketing managing director Christina Mutenthaler-Sipe warns that there could be a dangerous imbalance between temporary discounts and the risk of food waste. She illustrates: "Around a third of all fresh products in the food trade are bought in action." While consumers are on discounts, the study also shows that the demand for fresh and healthy foods such as fruit and vegetables continue to increase. Overall, the expenses for food rose by 3.4 percent to 9.8 billion euros in 2024, which points out that the trend towards freshness and quality is becoming increasingly important.

Tax differences on food

The tax view of food in Germany and Austria is interesting. In Germany, staple foods such as meat, vegetables and fruit are subject to the reduced VAT of 7 percent, while processed foods and drinks usually have to be taxed with 19 percent, said dasfinance.de . This is also a reason why mineral water is taxed at 19 percent because it is not considered a staple. These tax differences have a direct impact on the purchase decisions of the consumers and could influence the demand for certain products.

The debate about VAT can affect consumers' habits. The insight that the majority of foods are offered to a reduced tax rate could lead to customers more consciously paying attention to their purchases. While the discount craze is flourishing in the grocery stores, the question of how this will change the perception and value of food in society in the long term.