We all know that costs have risen across the board, not least at the supermarket checkout. But while we feel the hit from household bills and groceries rising, it's not always easy to pinpoint exactly where those hikes have come in.
With the cost of food one of the biggest challenges still facing customers right now, the Manchester Evening News has taken a closer look at just how much things have risen over recent years. By repeating the same Tesco big shop from January 2020, just before the pandemic really took hold, reporter Emma Gill was able to see exactly which products have increased the most. This is her report:
Nearly half of products up by 50% or more
Shockingly, almost half of the 43 products have gone up by 50 per cent or more, with the biggest hike being Tesco's angel cake, which has gone up from 62p to £1.60 - a 158 per cent increase. Other big increases include Soreen malt loaf, up from 60p to £1.40 (133.3%), Pitch chocolate bread's up from 75p to £1.50 (100%) and Tesco vanilla cheesecake, up from £2 to £3.90 (95%).
Tesco, which last week came out as the most expensive supermarket in our weekly price check of basics like bread and milk - knocking Morrisons off the bottom spot for the first time in six months - says it's not a like for like comparison. It says some items that would have been included in promotions, or reduced with Clubcard, will no longer be on offer, however the shop includes some items that are now on offer and weren't on promotion in the original shop.
If it wasn't for the purposes of a true comparison, there are certain items I simply would not have bought because of the rises. We all like cheesecake for instance, but a 95% hike is hardly justifiable for something that's not a necessity, especially after the excesses of Christmas. Same goes for Jelly Babies, up from 90p to £1.50.
And while we like the conchiglie pasta shells, a 65% rise has taken the pack to £1.65 and you can get 1kg of pasta much cheaper elsewhere. It's quite worrying to see how much essentials like milk have gone up - with a four-pint bottle of skimmed up 50% from £1.10 to £1.65 - the price most supermarkets are selling it for now.
As for the four pack of Heinz Beanz, it's depressing to see the family favourite has risen from £2.50 to £3.99. And you'll now pay a whopping £2 for a single tin of Heinz Spaghetti & Sausages, which are up 60%. Even if you take advantage of the 3 for £5 Clubcard offer, it's still £1.66 a tin, compared with £1.25.
A total of 36 out of the 43 products have gone up since 2020, with three staying the same and four reducing. The reductions on the four costing less - potatoes, carrots, garlic flatbread and ham - are all due to either 'Aldi price match' or the retailer's Clubcard.
The increases represent a 35% hike overall, with the bill rising from £63.27 in 2020, to £85.44 this week. In the last year alone the bill has risen by 11% - and shoppers are being warned that we're not out of the woods yet.
Earlier this month Tesco announced a new price-lock commitment, freezing the prices of more than 1,000 everyday products until Easter and says that with its Aldi Price Match, Clubcard and Low Everyday Prices initiatives, it has 'significantly increased the number of value lines' it sells.
A spokesperson for Tesco said: “With household budgets under increasing pressure we are absolutely committed to helping our customers, by keeping a laser focus on the cost of the weekly shop. So whether it’s price matching Aldi on the basics, locking the price of more than a thousand household staples until Easter 2023, or offering exclusive deals and rewards through thousands of Clubcard Prices – we’re more committed than ever to providing our customers with great value.”
Full list of items compared - *prices from Jan 2020 / prices Jan 26, 2022 / Jan 10, 2023 (% increase 2020-2023)
Products that have increased since Jan 2020
- Tesco Angel Layer Cake was 62p / £1.35 / £1.60 (158%)
Soreen Original Malt Loaf 260G was 60p / £1.20 / £1.40 (133.3%)
Pitch Chocolate 6 Pack was 75p / £1.50 / £1.50 (100%)
Tesco Vanilla Cheesecake 540G was £2 / £3.25 / £3.90 (95%)
Clover Light Spread 500 G was £1 / £2 / £2.40, or £1.75 Clubcard (75%)
Tesco Southern Fried Breaded Chicken Mini Fillets 305G was £2 /£2.60 / £3.35 (67.5%)
Bassetts Jelly Babies 190G was 90p / £1 (Clubcard) / £1.50 (66.7%)
Tesco Conchiglie Pasta Shells 1Kg was £1 / £1.30 / £1.65 (65%)
Aero Chocolate Mousse 4 X59g was £1 / £1.50 / £1.65 (65%)
Heinz Spaghetti & Sausages In Tomato Sauce 400G was £1.25 / £1.40 / £2 (60%)
- Heinz Baked Beans In Tomato Sauce 4 X415g was £2.50 / £3 / £3.99 (with Aldi price match) (59.6%)
Breaded Chicken Goujons 270G was £1.25 / £1.25 (with Aldi price match) / £1.99 (with Aldi price match) (59.2%)
Pot Noodle King Beef & Tomato 114G was 70p / 99p / £1.10 (57.1%)
Mr Kipling Angel Slice 8 Pack was £1.20 / £2.85 / £3.45, or £1.85 Clubcard (54.1%)
- Tesco British Skimmed Milk 2.272L, 4 Pints was £1.10 / £1.15 (with Aldi price match) / £1.65 (with Aldi price match) (50%)
Capri Sun No Added Sugar Orange 8 X 200Ml was £2 / £2.95 / £3 (50%)
Kp Hula Hoops Family 6X24g was £1 / £1.75 / £1.75, or £1.50 Clubcard (50%)
Auntys Golden Syrup Puddings 2 X 95G was £1 / £1.50 / £1.50 (50%)
Tesco Spirali Pasta 500G was 65p / 70p / 95p (46%)
Richmond 8 Skinless Pork Sausages 213G was £1.40 / £2 / £2 (42.9%)
Sure Men Active Antiperspirant Deodorant 250Ml was £1.40 / £1.75 / £1.99 (with Aldi price match) (42%)
Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal 700G was £2.50 / £3.50 / £3.50 (40%)
Cadbury Twirl Chocolate Multipack 4 X34g was 90p / 98p / £1.25 (38.9%)
- Tesco Chocolate Sticks (ice creams) 3X110ml was £1 / £1.20 / £1.35 (35%)
Tesco Brown Onions Loose x2 was 18p / 20p / 24p (33.3%)
Tesco British Large Whole Chicken 1.55-1.95Kg was £3.50 / £3.75 / £4.60 (31.4%)
Tesco 6 Strawberry Fruity Bakes 222G was 95p / £1.05 / £1.20 (26.3%)
Highland Spring Sparkling Water 8X500ml was £2 / £2.75 / £3 or £2.50 Clubcard (25%)
Tesco Finest 20 Mini Meatballs 336G was £2.85 / £2.85 / £3.50 (22.8%)
- Tesco Pure Orange Juice Smooth 4 X 1 Litre was £3 / £3.30 / £3.50 Clubcard (16.7%)
- Tesco Italian Chopped Tomatoes 4 X 400G was £1.39 / £1.60 (Clubcard) / £1.70 Clubcard (22.3%)
- Mixed Sized Free Range Eggs 15 Pack was £2 / £2 / £2.30 for 12 medium (15%)
- Stella Artois 6X330ml Bottles was £5 / £5 / £5.75 (15%)
Original Source Lemon & Tea Tree Shower Gel 250Ml was 90p / £1 / £1.50 or £1 Clubcard (11.1%)
- Tesco Cool Tortilla Chips 200 G was 90p / 76p / £1 (11.1%)
- Tesco Pre Pack Broccoli was 65p / 49p (with Aldi price match) / 72p (10.8%)
Products that have stayed the same since Jan 2020
6 x Bananas loose was 84p / 78p / 84p (with Aldi price match) (0%)
- Tesco Red Seedless Grapes 500G was £2 / £2 / £2 (0%)
Richmond 8 Thick Pork Sausages 454G was £1.50 / now £2 / £2.30, or £1.50 Clubcard (0%)
Products that have decreased since Jan 2020
Tesco Maris Piper Potatoes 2.5Kg was £2 / £1.15 (with Aldi price match) / £1.49 (with Aldi price match) (-65%)
Redmere Farms Carrots 1Kg was 59p / 40p (with Aldi price match) / 49p (with Aldi price match) (-16.9%)
- Tesco Four Cheese & Garlic Flatbread 230G was £1.60 / £1.60 / £1.80, or £1.50 Clubcard (-6.25%)
- Eastmans Wafer Thin Cooked Ham 400G was £1.70 / £1.59 (with Aldi price match) / £1.69 (with Aldi price match) (-0.6%)
TOTALS - Jan 2020 £63.27 / Jan 2022 £76.94 / Jan 2023 £85.44
Percentage increase 2020 to 2023 35% / 2022 to 2023 11%
