French Vegetable Prices Surge As Heatwaves Drive Fresh Food Inflation

Prices for a category of fresh vegetables including tomatoes and courgettes rose by 35.8% in France in the year to September 2026, as fresh food inflation accelerated.

Figures from France’s national statistics institute, Insee, show annual inflation for fresh food reached 9.5%, up from 5.9% in August and 3.8% in July. The institute identified summer heatwaves as a factor behind the increases.

Other fresh vegetables, including carrots, turnips, garlic, onions and leeks, increased by 5.6% year on year, compared with a 1.2% fall in August.

The “other fresh fruits” category, which includes melons and watermelons, rose by 9.9%. Meanwhile, inflation for dates, figs and fresh tropical fruits eased to 2.5%, from 4% the previous month.

The increases contrasted with a more modest 1.4% rise in overall food prices. Food excluding fresh products increased by 0.4%, while headline annual consumer price inflation reached 3.1%, up from 2.4% in August.

The pressure on fresh food affordability has also prompted political proposals. According to The Connexion, bills introduced in France’s Senate and National Assembly would require stores of at least 400 square metres to offer a minimum of 80 healthy products at near-cost prices throughout the year.

The proposals have faced criticism from supermarkets and the Senate’s economic affairs commission over their complexity and potential impact on retailers’ margins.