CONSUMERS MAY BE left feeling a little flat next week when they realise the cost of making pancakes has increased.

Pancake Tuesday, or Shrove Tuesday, is the day before Lent.

The tradition of eating pancakes arose from families making use of ingredients that would otherwise be restricted during the Lenten season.

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) today published research showing the cost of making a basic pancake has risen by 3% in the year to December 2023.  

The average cost of 2 kilograms of white, self-raising flour has gone up by 10% over the last 12 months, while the price of a half-dozen large eggs has increased by 3%.

The only basic pancake ingredient that has fallen over the past year is a two litre carton of full fat milk, which is down 3%.

In actual prices, flour has gone from €2.39 to €2.62, eggs have increased from €2.16 to €2.21, while the average price of two litres of milk fell from €2.26 to €2.18 in the year to December 2023.

Add in some sugar, and costs go even higher.

One kilogram of white, granulated sugar has risen by 24%, or from €1.51 to €1.88.

By adding a spoonful of sugar to your pancake, the total cost of making pancakes goes up by 6.4% over the 12 months to December 2023.

The CSO calculated the costs of making pancakes using the prices of some of the items it collects as part of our National Average Prices basket, a measurement which doesn’t include lemon juice.

The CSO has also looked at the price of goods significant others will be receiving on Valentine’s Day,

Chocolates have risen by close to 9% in the 12 months to December 2023, while flowers are up slightly by 0.7%.

The CSO also notes that Valentine’s Day also falls on Ash Wednesday this year, a time when people may choose to give up cigarettes or alcohol for the Lenten period.

Looking at those items, the cost of cigarettes has increased by 6%, with the price of a box of 20 filtered cigarettes going from €15.39 to €16.34 in the 12 months to December 2023.

Meanwhile, the price of a pint of stout has gone from €5.20 to €5.64, or an 8% increase, in the 12 months to December 2023, and the price of a pint of larger has gone from €5.73 to €6.06 or up almost 6% in the year.