Eurostat stated on Friday some 9.5% of the EU population were unable to afford a meal containing meat, fish or a vegetarian equivalent every second day last year.
The 27-member bloc's statistical authority said this figure was 1.2 percentage points higher comparing with 2022 rate of 8.3%.
"Moreover, focusing on people at risk of poverty in 2023 the share at the EU level was 22.3%," it said, noting that this figure also rose by 2.6 percentage points on a yearly basis.
The highest share of people at risk of poverty unable to afford a proper meal was seen in Slovakia (45.7%), followed by Hungary (44.9%) and Bulgaria (40.2%).
On the other hand, the lowest share was recorded in Ireland (4.2%), followed by Greek Cypriot administration (5.0%) and Portugal (5.9%).
