Food: Coffee prices rise significantly faster than inflation

People in Germany have to pay more for coffee . Consumer prices for coffee beans rose by a good twelve percent in April compared to the same month last year, according to the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden. This was significantly higher than the increase for food products overall (2.8 percent) and general inflation (2.1 percent). In a medium-term comparison, consumer prices for coffee beans in April were almost a third higher (31.2 percent) than in April 2021. Over this period, inflation was similar to that for food products overall (plus 31.4 percent), but higher than general inflation (18.8 percent).

The reason for the price increase is likely the significantly higher import prices for green coffee, which were increased due to crop failures caused by extreme weather, the statisticians write. According to the figures, import prices for unroasted coffee beans were a good 53 percent higher in April than a year earlier. Import prices for decaffeinated or roasted coffee climbed by 35.8 percent compared to the same month last year. Despite rising prices, imports of coffee (green and roasted) to Germany increased significantly, by a good 14 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year. Over the long term, import volumes grew by almost eight percent compared to 2015. By far the largest volume of coffee came from Brazil, followed by Vietnam and Honduras.