Groceries more expensive in almost all popular holiday destinations for Dutch

In four of the five most popular holiday destinations for Dutch tourists, food is more expensive than in the Netherlands. Only in Spain will Dutch pay less for groceries than at home, Statistics Netherlands reported on Thursday.

The top five most visited holiday countries for Dutch tourists are, in order, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Austria. In France, the prices of food products - meat, fruit and veg, and drinks - are 16 percent above the European average, in Germany 2 percent, in Italy, 13 percent, and in Austria, 26 percent. Spain's food prices are 4 percent below the European average. In the Netherlands people pay 1.1 percent above average for their food products.

Those who enjoy a barbecue, will pay most in Austria where meat prices are 45.7 percent above the European average. France is 30.9 percent more expensive. The Netherlands' meat prices are 23.4 percent above the EU average, so Dutch tourists will pay less for meat in Spain at 10.9 percent below average, Germany at 5.9 percent above average, and Italy at 19.5 percent above average. The Netherlands' fruit and veg prices are 2.2 percent above EU average, so Dutch will pay more in all popular holiday destinations, except Spain.

When it comes to restaurants and hotels, Dutch tourists can expect to get away cheaper than in the Netherlands in Spain, Italy, Austria, and Germany. Only in France are hotels and restaurants more expensive than in the Netherlands.