Published: 02.02.2026.

61% of Latvia’s residents are aware of the low-price food basket initiative, while 47% of respondents have noticed the basket’s products in stores. These findings come from the public opinion survey “Food Purchasing Habits in Latvia: Low-Price Basket and Locally Grown/Produced Food Products”, conducted by the Consumer Rights Protection Centre (CRPC) in collaboration with the sociological research company SKDS.

The survey aimed to evaluate the initiative launched under the Memorandum on Food Product Trading, signed on 27 May 2025, which seeks to offer low-price food products. While consumer awareness is generally good, the visibility of the initiative in stores still needs improvement.

Currently, the Memorandum stipulates that retailers provide one product at the lowest price in each of ten main categories. In practice, this means that, for example, in the dairy category (cheese, cottage cheese, butter, cream, yogurt, kefir, or buttermilk), only one product can be included in the basket, limiting consumers’ ability to prepare a varied meal at the lowest price. A similar situation exists for vegetables and other categories.

Survey Findings

  • 35% of consumers believe the low-price basket helps them shop more cheaply.

  • Consumers are satisfied with the quality of the basket products.

  • Only 17% think the basket offers a sufficiently wide selection, while 26% disagree.

Minister of Economics Viktors Valainis:
“The low-price basket initiative aims to help residents cope with food costs in daily life, especially when household expenses remain high. SKDS survey results show that the initiative is noticed and appreciated, while clearly highlighting areas needing improvement. We are open to discussions with retailers and supervisory authorities to expand the basket and provide a more stable selection so that it truly meets everyday consumer needs and promotes fair competition in food retail.”

CRPC Director Zaiga Liepiņa:
“The data clearly show that consumers need a wider basket. Considering consumer habits and needs, CRPC believes it would be useful to expand the types of products included in the basket, particularly in categories such as dairy products, bread, flour, other grains, and fresh vegetables. Too frequent changes in basket products prevent consumers from becoming familiar with them. When reviewing the Memorandum, a solution should be sought where products remain in the basket for longer periods — this would increase trust in the initiative and facilitate household planning.”

During monitoring, CRPC observed that some retailers are already expanding the basket, including products outside the Memorandum’s framework, such as pasta, oatmeal, sausages, rice, and canned goods.

Such practices increase consumer choice and align with the initiative’s goal of providing affordable basic food products, especially for lower-income households. CRPC considers expanding the Memorandum’s annex to include products that residents consume most frequently.

Improvements Needed in Basket Visibility

To help consumers easily find low-price basket products, CRPC encourages retailers to:

  • Make basket products more visible, including reducing the prominence of other promotions to avoid clutter.

  • Improve signage design and placement to enhance visibility and recognition of the low-price basket initiative.

  • Place basket products in easily noticeable and accessible locations, such as eye level, convenient reach, or designated zones.

  • Ensure signage is timely and accurate throughout the sales area.

Monitoring results show that 78% of respondents observed the initiative’s signage, which is a good indicator. However, recent data and survey results confirm that further work is needed to strengthen the initiative’s visibility.

CRPC Encourages Consumers to Report:

  • Low-price basket products are not available

  • Misleading discounts are offered

  • Other misleading promotions, discounts, or sales are applied

Report to CRPC: