Don't flip out: pancake prices rise ahead of Shrove Tuesday
Making pancakes is now 35.2% more expensive than it was in December 2020
CARLOW pancake lovers might want to hold onto their frying pans - the cost of whipping up a batch of the Shrove Tuesday favourite has jumped significantly over the past five years, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office.
With Pancake Tuesday falling tomorrow, the CSO has crunched the numbers on the rising cost of basic pancake ingredients, revealing that making pancakes is now 35.2% more expensive than it was in December 2020.
The culprit behind the price hike? Pretty much every item in your pancake mix. Over the five-year period, a 2-litre carton of full-fat milk has increased by 72 cent (42.6%), rising from €1.69 to €2.41. A 2kg bag of flour has grown by 62 cent (31.6%), from €1.96 to €2.58, while a carton of six large eggs has risen by 57 cent (32.0%), from €1.78 to €2.35.
But it's sugar that takes the cake - or in this case, the pancake - for the largest percentage increase. A 1kg bag of sugar has risen by 69 cent (60.5%) since December 2020, from €1.14 to €1.83.
There is some good news for pancake enthusiasts, however. In the year to December 2025, flour prices actually fell by 2 cent (0.8%), and sugar prices remained stable, staying at €1.83 for the second year running.
Milk and eggs, on the other hand, continued their upward trajectory, with milk increasing by 5 cent (2.1%) and eggs rising by 9 cent (4.9%) over the past year.
The CSO noted that prices for lemons or lemon juice are not included in the Consumer Price Index, leaving lemon and sugar enthusiasts in the dark about the full cost of their Pancake Tuesday treat.
