Food prices will rise in Ukraine due to power outages: how much will basic goods cost?

In Ukraine, food prices are expected to rise in February due to additional business costs related to power outages. At the same time, growth is being held back by a decline in the solvency of the population, which prevents prices from rising sharply.

This is reported by Glavred .

Oleg Pendzin, Executive Director of the Economic Discussion Club, explained that power outages force businesses to use generators to store products and operate equipment, which increases the costs of producers and sellers. Businesses are trying to pass on some of these costs to buyers, but there is a limitation due to reduced purchasing power.

“The manufacturer will not sell more expensively than the buyer is able to pay,” said Oleg Pendzin.

According to him, it is the decline in incomes that is holding back the sharp rise in the cost of products, as people simply stop buying overly expensive goods.

The economist also voiced expectations regarding price changes in various product categories:

• Bread – no sharp jumps are predicted, and growth will be about 1–1.5% each month, while he called the forecast of a 20% price increase exaggerated.
• Meat and eggs – a significant increase in prices is not expected, since with a significant increase in prices, demand decreases.
• Dairy products – prices will increase moderately due to competition with cheaper imports, particularly from Poland, while butter, after falling in price in January, may rise again in February.
• Vegetables – the cost of the so-called borscht set is increasing due to storage costs, but potatoes remain 20% cheaper than last year, thanks to the 2025 harvest, and imported products are not expected before April.
• Oil – the price may increase to 100 hryvnias per liter, but a significant excess of this level is not predicted due to limited domestic demand.

Separately, the expert assured that there are no reasons for food shortages, and he sees no need to stockpile large amounts of food.

“Ukraine has never had food shortages. I see no reason for serious discussions about this,” said Oleg Pendzin.

At the same time, the overall inflation rate in January is expected to be within 2–2.5%, and the main factor restraining further price growth remains the financial situation of the population, and not only the costs of producers. It is also reported that prices for table beets are increasing in Ukraine due to the reduction in stocks of quality products and increased demand from trading companies.

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