Bread prices in Ukraine may rise by 20%
22 December 07:15
in 2026, the price of plain bread may remain relatively stable, but some products may rise significantly. Thus, the price of some types of bread may increase by more than 20%.
This was stated by Yuriy Duchenko, President of the All-Ukrainian Bakers Association (UBA), "Komersant Ukrainian" reports citing UNIAN.
Under a moderate scenario, he predicts an increase of 10-15%, and if the fighting escalates or there are serious power outages, the price could jump by more than 20%.
“According to the UAC forecasts, in 2026, plain bread will remain relatively stable in price, while other products may rise by 10-15%, and if the situation worsens, by more than 20%,” Duchenko said.
At the same time, he acknowledged that price increase scenarios remain unpredictable. The key factor is the restriction of electricity supply to bakeries due to Russian shelling.
“In most regions of Ukraine, bakeries that produce bread for mass consumption are formally classified as critical infrastructure or life support facilities. However, in practice, this status often does not guarantee uninterrupted power supply,” explains the head of the bakers’ association.
According to Duchenko, some bakeries and bakeries are not included in the approved lists or face ignoring their status. Consumption limits are set without taking into account the technological cycle. The situation is most difficult in regions with a shortage of generation and overloaded grids.
In addition, power outages are already leading to a reduction in product mix. Bakeries are forced to temporarily discontinue production of some complex and profitable products because the power outages make it impossible to follow the required technologies.
“Even with the power outage, the limits do not allow us to run ovens, dough mixers, cooling and packaging at the same time. If the current conditions persist, the risks of supply disruptions increase, especially for products with a short shelf life, which poses a threat to food security,” warns the UAC head.
In addition, the expert reminds that the cost of bread is affected not only by power outages, but also by fluctuations in raw material prices, rising logistics costs and labor costs. This forces producers to include additional costs in the cost of production, which can lead to a rise in the price of certain types of bread.
