Slovak households are now also saving on food

This is according to a recent survey by the collection company EOS KSI Slovensko, conducted by the AKO agency.

When asked, "Are you currently reducing your household spending? If so, in which areas?" four out of ten respondents answered that they are reducing their spending on food and everyday purchases. A higher proportion of people report saving on clothing and shoes (50.9%), leisure and entertainment (50.1%), and holidays or travel (43.3%).

Respondents were allowed to give multiple answers, which is why the total exceeds 100 percent.

At first glance, food and everyday purchases seem to be just another item on the savings list. In reality, however, there is a difference between a household postponing a holiday, buying fewer clothes, or starting to change their usual shopping basket. Food is an expense that recurs every week and cannot simply be put off until later.

"A holiday can be postponed, a restaurant visit skipped, a new appliance not purchased. But food is an expense that households deal with constantly. When four out of ten respondents say they are also reducing their spending on food and everyday purchases, it is a signal that financial pressure has entered everyday decision-making," says Václav Hřích, director of the AKO agency.

When asked, "Which household expenses do you plan to completely eliminate from your budget this year, or have you already eliminated?" 37.1% of respondents confirmed restaurants, delivery services, or fast food.

31.6% of respondents have eliminated or plan to eliminate holidays and travel, 31.6% gifts and non-essential expenses, and 31.5% cafés and small pleasures.

However, when it comes to food, it's not about eliminating a sum from the household budget, but about limiting expenses—that is, changing financial behavior for a basic necessity.

Reducing spending on food does not automatically mean that households are buying less food. The survey did not ask about the quantity or quality of the food purchased. It could mean buying cheaper brands, more careful shopping planning, fewer impulse buys, or an effort to waste less. What is important, however, is that the savings affect an item that households deal with repeatedly and regularly.

"Saving on food is a signal that a household is already monitoring every expense very closely. In such a situation, it helps to not only look at individual purchases but at the budget as a whole: which payments are recurring, which expenses are necessary, and where at least a small reserve can be created. Preventing financial problems often starts with a timely overview of one's own finances," explains Peter Dvornák, Managing Director of the collection company EOS KSI Slovensko.

A survey by the Focus agency for the National Bank of Slovakia in the autumn of 2025 showed that people most often perceive inflation through food and drink prices.