The COVID-19 pandemic has curtailed lives and livelihoods, leading to price spikes for some foods and declines for others. We compare monthly retail food prices in up to 181 countries from January 2019 to June 2021, test for differences over time and find that average prices rose significantly, especially for more nutritious food groups in countries with higher COVID-19 case counts. Analysis of retail prices by food group complements data on farm commodity prices and overall consumer price indexes, helping to guide policy for resilience and response to shocks.

No abstract

The COVID pandemic has cut lives, livelihoods and supply chains, leading to price spikes for some foods and decline for others. We compare monthly retail food prices in up to 180 countries through February 2021, and find significant rises for more nutritious food groups with higher case counts. Prices by food group complement data on farm commodity prices and overall consumer price indexes, and can help guide policy for resilience and response to shocks.

No abstract