THE COST OF food and drink just keeps going up. 

New figures published yesterday found that food prices have surged by 5% in the past year alone.

This backs up what the Central Statistics Office has repeatedly found. In the five years to May 2025, for example, prices for an average basket of food and non-alcoholic drinks increased by a massive 23.4%. 

Readers have told us again and again that the rising costs are seriously impacting their lives. 

In June we asked for stories and many readers told us they have been forced to cut back on luxuries and essentials. 

Eating out, name-brand goods, and going for drinks were areas in which many readers were cutting back, although some also mentioned reducing their meat intake and saving by skipping on breakfast. 

Others are eating smaller portions and limiting their weekly shop to the bare essentials as items like chocolate and butter become increasingly more expensive.

We want to do a new round-up of readers’ stories and experiences in the face of these surging costs. 

Let us know what you’re experiencing

We want to hear how the increasing price of food and drinks and other essentials is affecting you.

• Have you noticed a hike in the cost of your ‘big shop’, or has the price rise for a particular essential item – be it food, drinks, toiletries or anything else – jumped out at you?
• Have you changed your spending habits, be that changing where you shop or the brands you buy, or are you simply buying less?
• Have you cut back on eating out, takeaway meals or coffee, or socialising?
• What impact is the increasing cost of food and drink having on you and your family?

Please get in touch by emailing answers@thejournal.ie and telling us about your experiences.

Please include your name, age and county, and let us know if you would like to remain anonymous.

We’ll reflect your stories in a future article on this subject.