The cost of food in Malta is almost the same as the EU average despite the relatively lower income and an economy still catching up with the bloc.

While Malta’s GDP in 2012 stood at 86 per cent of the EU’s average, the average prices of food stood at 98 per cent of the average, with some items even much costlier in Malta than those found on the continent.

A scientific exercise conducted by Eurostat shows that, while the cost of meat in Malta is among the lowest in the EU – 80 per cent of the EU average – the cost of dairy products, particularly milk, cheese and eggs is much higher and stood at 113 per cent of the EU average last year.

Despite being surrounded by sea, Maltese consumers paid three per cent more for fish than the EU average in 2012.

Maltese consumers have to pay most to purchase oil and fat products, which last year were priced 15 per cent higher than the EU average.

On the other side of the scale, the average prices of bread and cereals (94 per cent) and tobacco (88 per cent) are still cheaper than the majority of EU member states.

Eurostat said that, according to its comparable basket of food and non-alcoholic beverages, Denmark ranks by far as the most expensive country in the 27-nation bloc, reaching 143 per cent of the EU average.

Denmark is followed by Sweden (124 per cent), Austria (120 per cent), Finland (119 per cent) and Ireland (118 per cent).

On the other hand, the cheapest food can be bought in Poland (61 per cent) and Romania (67 per cent).

The average cost of food in Malta is higher than some ‘advanced’ EU member states, including the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal.