Fish and seafood spending is about on a par with the national figure. | Jaume Morey

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Mercasa is a Spanish Government public company for food distribution. Its annual report states that the average annual spend on food and drink per person in the Balearics is 1,988 euros, 15% more than the national average. Compared with a decade ago, food and drink in the Balearics are 30% more expensive than they were.

There are only a few products on which the people of the Balearics spend below the national average. Eggs and milk are two - 9.6% less for eggs (average annual spend, 126 euros); 7.3% less for milk (57 euros). Fish and seafood are fractionally below the national average by 0.5%.

Well above the national average and by more than 20% are mineral water and wine. Where wine is concerned, Mercasa reckons the average expenditure is 37.8 euros. The highest spend goes on meat, an average of 373 euros per year.

The yearbook points out that there are 1,775 premises for food distribution in the Balearics. Of these, 719 are supermarkets and twelve are hypermarkets. As for bars, restaurants and catering establishments, there are 9,239 premises, 3.5% of the national total.