Food prices surge at European Parliament

STRASBOURG — The price of food — and also much-needed coffee — at the European Parliament is set to increase between 6 and 14 percent from April as a result of inflation.

Signs at the so-called Flower Bar and the MEPs’ restaurant, seen by POLITICO in Strasbourg on Monday, said the uptick is due to higher costs of ingredients, energy and salaries.

David Gueble, the Parliament’s executive chef, said that they had been asking for a price rise for a long time.

“We can’t sell at a loss,” the chef said. “For us it was vital to be able to continue working.”

But he promised the costs would remain “attractive.”

Signs said, “We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”

The increase will affect cafes and cafeterias used by officials, lawmakers and visitors at the European Parliament’s buildings in Strasbourg, Brussels and Luxembourg.

“EP catering service providers are nonsubsidised in the three places of work,” a European Parliament spokesperson said.

The scale of the price differs per contractor. One of the main ones is Eurest, which is part of Compass Group France.

In March, inflation stood at 6.67 percent in Belgium and 5.6 percent in France, according to both countries’ national statistics bureaus — although the boost in prices has recently been limited by the winding down of the increase in energy prices.

Eddy Wax reported from Strasbourg, Nicolas Camut from Brussels.