Shoppers feeling the pinch at the supermarket till will not be surprised to learn that some food essential have risen by as much as 65% in just a year, according to a new report.
The soaring prices of everyday food has been unveiled by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which show that vegetable oil and pasta are now more than double the cost they were a year ago, with other store-cupboard staples such as tea, chips and bread not far behind.
The ONS looked at 1.5million online prices over the 12 months to September 2022, with the figures representing the difference in lowest prices. Only three products are cheaper now than they were last year, with orange juice, which fell by 9% and minced beef (7%) showing the biggest falls.
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Food and energy costs were the biggest contributors to the jump in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation, which returned to equal a 40-year-high of 10.1 per cent in September. Food and non-alcoholic drink prices rose by 14.5 per cent, with the war in Ukraine increasing the prices of animal feed, fertiliser and vegetable oil.
More than half (51%) of adults reported buying less when food shopping because of the cost of living crisis, up from 1 in 10 (10%) adults a year ago, according to separate data from the ONS. This figure was higher in the most deprived areas of England, with around three in five adults (61%) reporting they were buying less food when they went food shopping, compared with 44% of people in the least deprived areas.
Supermarkets have also noticed a decline in volumes sold because of increased cost of living and food prices, with volumes decreasing since summer 2021, as shoppers get increasingly fewer items for their money. Families also reported trying to spend less, with 46% of adults cutting down because of increases in the cost of living.
The food items that have changes over the past year are:
- Vegetable oil: 65.2%
- Pasta: 59.9%
- Tea: 46.0%
- Chips: 38.7%
- Bread: 37.6%
- Biscuits: 34.4%
- Mixed frozen vegetables: 31.9%
- Milk: 29.4%
- Crisps: 23.7%
- Tomatoes: 19.3%
- Instant coffee: 18.8%
- Sausages: 18.3%
- Onions: 18.0%
- Apples: 17.2%
- Baked beans: 16.2%
- Potato: 13.2%
- Fish fingers: 13.1%
- Tomato ketchup: 12.1%
- Breakfast cereal: 10.6%
- Cheese: 10.4%
- Chicken breast: 10.1%
- Ham: 9.9%
- Bananas: 7.0%
- Fruit squash: 6.7%
- Yoghurt: 6.6%
- Pizza: 3.2%
- Granulated sugar: -0.3%
- Rice: -0.2%
- Beef mince: -7.4%
- Orange juice: -8.9%
Consumer group Which? also tracks the price of food and drink in individual supermarkets and found that the worst individual price hike was Quaker Oat So Simple Simply Apple (8x33g sachets) at Asda which shot up a staggering 188% from £1 in December 2021 to £2.88 in December 2022.
Utterly Butterly (500g) rose 95% from £1 to £1.95 at Waitrose, while Tesco Creamfields French Brie 200G went up in price by 81.59% from 79p to £1.43. Budget and own-brand items again went up at a faster rate - 20.3% and 18.5% respectively - compared to premium and branded counterparts - up 12.6% and 12.5%.
Lidl prices went up the most at 21.1% in December, followed by Aldi at 20.8% - although Which? says both supermarkets are still cheaper compared to other stores. Asda had the third highest inflation where prices rose 15.4%.
Morrisons shoppers have faced the biggest price rises compared to any other major UK supermarket last year, causing them to vote with their feet and switch to other retailers, according to a report by credit agency Moody's. The supermarket giant started raising the cost of products at a "rapid pace" from June onwards and although discounters Aldi and Lidl also increased prices, the rises were not as rapid as Morrisons, the UK's fifth biggest retailer.
Sue Davies, Which? head of food policy, said: “We know food prices have risen exponentially in the last year and our inflation tracker shows the dramatic impact this is having on everyday products at the supermarket. Some households are already skipping meals to make ends meet and our findings show trust in supermarkets taking a hit as many people worry they are putting profits before the people suffering during this cost of living crisis.
“Supermarkets must do more, Which? is calling for them to ensure everyone has easy access to basic, affordable food ranges at a store near them, particularly in areas where people are most in need.“
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