Estonians have started to buy less food
In September, food, drink, and tobacco sales rose slightly across Europe, but Estonia saw the EU's sharpest decline — reflecting a third year of people eating less and cheaper food, Delfi reports.
According to data published by Eurostat, the retail volume index for food, beverages and tobacco in the European Union rose by 0.5 percent in September 2025 compared with the same month in 2024. In the euro area, the increase was 1 percent.
The strongest growth was recorded in Cyprus, where sales volumes jumped by 10.4 percent, followed by Spain with 4.5 percent and Malta with 4.4 percent. The steepest decline occurred in Estonia, where volumes fell by 4.8 percent.
Retail sales in Estonia have been declining for more than three years, which Nele Peil, CEO of the Estonian Traders Association, says is no longer a temporary fluctuation but a long-term and deepening trend.
According to Peil, people are buying less food overall and increasingly opting for cheaper and discounted products. "People are simply eating less," she noted.
The association's CEO links the drop in sales to weakened purchasing power and low consumer confidence. Consumer confidence in Estonia is among the lowest in Europe and a negative outlook has persisted in society for an extended period.
Heads of major retail chains confirmed to Delfi that customers are buying less, hunting for discount products, including food close to its expiry date, while high prices persist due to growing material, energy and labor costs and the need to maintain a wide selection of good to stay competitive.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski
Source: Delfi
