Heavy price shock

Floridsdorf market: 10 euros for a kilo of grapes

These Peruvian grapes and this small strawberry cup (0.8 kilos) from the Floridsdorf market together cost almost 20 euros.(Bild: Alfred Haberl, Krone KREATIV)

High fruit prices shock passers-by and neighbors in Vienna-Floridsdorf! It doesn't look much better elsewhere. Experts explain how market traders calculate and why politicians don't want to impose upper limits on stall operators.  

A small cup of strawberries for 9.56 euros (price per kilo 11.80 euros), a kilogram of grapes for a good ten euros. Passers-by and residents of the Floridsdorf market are shocked: "These are luxury prices. Who can afford that?", rages "Krone" reader Alfred Haberl.

No upper price limits
How is that possible? At the Viennese markets, every stall operator can basically charge whatever they want. "There are no price caps. We had talks about this, but the Ministry of Economic Affairs rejects it," says Alexander Hengl, spokesperson for the market office.

 "The traders are also suffering from the high personnel and energy costs. If you want foreign grapes in April, you pay more than for domestic grapes in the fall," says Dietmar Schwingenschrot from the Chamber of Commerce, defending the traders.

Grapes from South Africa, strawberries from Hungary
Most grapes currently come from Peru (by ship) or South Africa (by plane), strawberries from Hungary or Italy, says Hengl. "Unfortunately, the first goods are always priced in gold. They are also expensive to buy. It's really bad with apricots, for example," says the market office spokesperson.

As soon as Austrian fruit and vegetables are available, imported products become less interesting - and cheaper. Hengl believes that market traders need not shy away from comparing prices with supermarkets. However, a quick inspection of the Krone market in Döbling shows that fruit is cheaper on average in supermarkets. Only local organic strawberries came to almost ten euros per kilo in one case.

Prices have risen across Europe. In a European comparison, however, Austria is below the average of the EU and EURO member states in terms of the index for the development of food prices and also for fruit and vegetables in recent years.

Ein Sprecher des Wirtschaftsministeriums

Internal market as an explanation
The Ministry of Economic Affairs explains why politicians do not want to impose upper limits on market drivers as follows: "We live in the European internal market. Upper price limits would mean that products would not be offered in Austria, but would end up in other member states." It is important that the price labeling fits locally, everything else is decided by the customer.

The Market Office is responsible for price labeling. And that also works. There are currently no complaints about goods being incorrectly labeled at the markets in Vienna.