Only 8.3% of the population in the EU could afford a meal containing meat, fish or a vegetarian equivalent every second day last year, latest research shows.
This was higher than the comparable figure in 2021 of 7.3%, according to a new report from Eurostat.
In 2022, the difference between total and at-risk-of-poverty population in terms of their ability to afford a “proper meal” was highest in Bulgaria, where 44.6% of people were identified as unable to buy meat, fish or a vegetarian equivalent.
This was followed by Romania, where 43% of the population was at risk of food poverty and Slovakia, where the figure was 40.5%.
However, the lowest share of people at risk of being unable to afford a proper meal – including meat, fish and a vegetarian equivalent – was recorded in Ireland.
Researchers estimated that 5% of the population was at risk of poverty, followed by Luxembourg at 5.1% and Cyprus at 5.6%.
The price of food had soared across the EU in 2022 as annual inflation hit its highest ever level at 9.2%.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by an average of 11.9% in the EU last year according to Eurostat.
But its research also highlighted that overall consumer prices in Ireland were higher than in any other EU country last year.
The cost of food including bread and cereals; meat; fish; milk; cheese; eggs; oils and fats; fruits; vegetables; potatoes; other food and non-alcoholic beverages was almost 15.5% higher than the EU average.
In Ireland, prices were 46% above the EU average, followed by Denmark (45%) and Luxembourg (37%).
The lowest levels were recorded in Romania where prices were 42% below the EU average, followed by Bulgaria and Poland.
According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) there was a significant increase in consumer food prices in Ireland as prices rose by 8.2% over the 12 months to December 2022.
Anthony Dawson, statistician in the CSO said: “The annual change in food and non-alcoholic beverages costs reflects a rise in prices across a range of products such as fresh whole milk (33.3%), sugar (30.0%), eggs (23.5%), butter (23.1%) and bread (16.3%) compared with December 2021.”