Food inflation in France showed a slight upward trend in August 2026, according to the latest data from Insee, the French national statistics office. The rise was mainly driven by a 5.9% annual increase in the prices of fresh products. Notably, the price of a kilogram of tomatoes surged by 22% due to drought conditions that affected crop yields. Meanwhile, bottled water prices increased by 2 to 8% as rising plastic costs, linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, impacted production and transportation. The RMC-BFM basket, a collection of thirty commonly purchased items, saw a very modest increase of 0.13% between September 10 and September 21, rising from 127.37 euros to 127.53 euros. However, some individual items experienced more significant price hikes. For instance, the price of salad at Intermarché increased by 10 cents, or 6.5%, from 1.59 euros to 1.69 euros. Salad, which is highly sensitive to weather conditions, has been severely affected by recent heat waves. Some producers have reported losses of up to 100%, leading to reduced availability and higher prices in the summer months. Another notable increase was seen in free-range organic eggs at Carrefour, which rose by 6 cents, or 2.7%, from 2.39 euros to 2.45 euros. This product has faced supply challenges since 2025 due to increased demand and has also been impacted by summer heat, which reduces egg production and leads to smaller egg sizes. In terms of overall pricing, E.Leclerc remained the most affordable store, with a basket price of 125.2 euros, followed by Intermarché at 127.82 euros and Carrefour at 129.58 euros. The study compared the prices of thirty everyday products across three stores—E. Leclerc, Carrefour, and Intermarché—in the Seine-et-Marne department, a region considered representative of average supermarket prices in France. The selected stores are the three largest in terms of market share. Prices were recorded for specific products from leading brands, ensuring consistency in packaging and weight. If a product was unavailable in a given week, the previous week’s price was used. The basket includes items like Camembert, bottled water, butter, bread, eggs, vegetables, and various packaged goods, reflecting the typical consumption patterns of French households.