Prices of kitchen staples like bread, tea and cooking oil have soared in the last year, leaving shoppers counting pennies to see if their budget can keep up with inflation.
The fastest rise in prices in 40 years is driven in part by the increased cost of grain, oil and energy exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. Vegetable oil costs 65% more than it did a year ago, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), while the price of bread is up 60% and bread is up 38%.
Research from the ONS found the price of budget food in supermarkets rose by 17%. To see just how much people in Merseyside are affected by the rising price of household basics, the ECHO visited Morrisons in Speke to compare the price of a shopping basket with the same haul of goods last autumn.
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Fruit and vegetables
Raspberries - £3 (2020) - £3 (2021) - £3.09 (2022)
Organic bananas- £1.30 (2020) - £1.45 (2021) - £0.99 (2022)
Large mild onions - £1.25 (2020) - £1.35 (2021) - £1.69 (2022)
Pink Lady apples - £1.89 (2022) - £2 (2021) - £2.15 (2022)
Dairy
British whole milk 1L - £0.80 (2020) - £0.89 (2021) - £0.89 (2022)
Grated mature cheddar - £1.69 (2020) - £2 (2021) - £2.49 (2022)
Langley Farm cottage cheese - £1.35 (2020) - £1.35 (2021) - £1.49 (2022)
Dairylea Lunchables - £1 (2020) - £1 (2021) - £1.25 (2022)
Bakery
Hovis Best of Both medium sliced 500g - £1.10 (2020) - £1.10 (2021) - £1.19 (2022)
Morrisons The Best Pancakes - £1.25 (2020) - £1.45 (2021) - £1.50 (2022)
Store cupboard essentials
Heinz Baked Beans snap pots - £2.50 (2020) - £2.50 (2021) - £2.99 (2022)
Morrisons passata - £0.35 (2020) - £0.49 (2021) - £0.49 (2022)
Baby products
Ella's Kitchen baby food - £2 (2020) - £2.20 (2021) - £2 (2022)
Cow & Gate formula milk - £7.97 (2020) - £8.75 (2021) - £10 (2022)
Heinz baby food - £1.80 (2020) - £1.20 (2021) - £1.70 (2022)
Pampers baby wipes - £0.85 (2020) - £0.85 (2021) - £1 (2022)
Meat and fish
Lean beef mince - £2.69 (2020) - £2.89 (2021) - £2.15 (2022)
Medium whole British chicken - £3 (2020) - £3.35 (2021) - £4.39 (2022)
Turkey steaks - £3.25 (2020) - £3.50 (2021) - £4.24 (2022)
Honey roast ham slices - £2 (2020) - £2.5 (2021) - £2.25 (2022)
Total price
£42 (2020) - £45 (2021) - £48.94 (2022)
Overall, this basket costs £3.94, or 9.2%, more than it did a year ago, and 16% more than it did two years ago. The biggest rise was seen in Cow & Gate formula milk which went up by more than 41%, while a three-pack of large mild onions and Dairylea Lunchables were both 25% more expensive. Some items went down in price, including organic bananas, which dropped 31.7%.
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