I repeated my Tesco big shop from just four months ago and was appalled at the difference

Food costs are rising faster than ever, leaving households struggling to make ends meet. Just this week it was revealed that UK food price inflation soared to a record annual rate of 11.6% in October, with staples such as teabags, milk and sugar becoming more expensive, along with fresh food.

As part of our ongoing shopping comparison series, which looks at exactly how much prices are rising by, I repeated my Tesco big shop from four months ago - and was pretty appalled by the findings.

More than half of the 52 products I bought towards the end of June have risen in price - some by as much as 50%.

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Basics like milk and pasta have both gone up, with a four-pint bottle of skimmed milk rising from £1.35 to £1.55 and a 500g pack of pasta from 80p to 95p.

I repeated my Tesco big shop from 4 months ago (Manchester Family / MEN)

The Heinz products I bought have both risen, with tomato soup increasing from 85p a tin to £1.20 and the Spaghetti and Sausages from £1.40 a tin to £1.70. Thankfully, these were reduced with Tesco's 3 for £4 Clubcard offer.

In fact the Clubcard had a big part to play in the comparison, as out of the seven items that have decreased in price, five were due to them being on offer.

Without those offers, the overall price difference would have been much bigger than the 7.8% hike I ended up with - with June's bill totalling £90.62, compared with this week's £97.72.

Still, with 27 of the products having risen over the last four months, it paints a pretty bleak picture for consumers, particularly when there is no sign of things letting up.

Most of the meat I bought has gone up, with burgers and chicken rising by 33.3% and 21.8% respectively. And fruit and vegetables have gone up too, with potatoes, carrots, broccoli, bananas and pineapple all going up.

Tesco says The Grocer regularly ranks it as the 'best value Big Four supermarket' when a Clubcard is used (Manchester Family / MEN)

But the biggest rises were on those sweet treats we allow ourselves from time to time, especially when it comes to putting things away for Christmas.

Quality Streets, Jelly Babies and Cadbury Mini Rolls have all risen by 50% - the latter being £3 for a ten-pack last time, whereas this time there were only five-packs available costing £2.25 each.

Many people are no doubt leaving any sort of luxury item out of their shopping baskets already, and with prices continuing to rise - not just at Tesco but across the board - it's those basic staple items that they'll soon be forced to leave behind.

Tesco says The Grocer regularly ranks it as the 'best value Big Four supermarket' when a Clubcard is used and with initiatives like the card, Aldi Price Match and its Low Everyday Prices, it has 'significantly increased the number of value lines' it sells.

A Tesco spokesperson 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, freezing the price of more than a thousand household staples until 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.”

Most of the meat I bought has gone up, with burgers and chicken rising by 33.3% and 21.8% respectively (Manchester Family / MEN)

Shopping bills June 22, 2022 / November 2

Up in price (% increase of product)

• Tesco Finest Pizza and Garlic Bread Meal Deal was £5.50 / now £6 (9.1%)
• Tesco 30% Reduced Fat Cheese 400G was £2.50 / now £3 (20%)
• Tesco Skimmed Milk 2.272L/4 Pints was £1.35 / £1.55 (14.8%)
• Cadbury Mini Rolls Milk Chocolate 10 Pack £3 / now 2 x 5-pack £4.50 (50%)
• Broccoli Loose was 52p / 72p (38.4%)
• Tesco British Diced Chicken Breast 650G was £4.85 (£4.35 Clubcard) / £5.30 (21.8%)
• Tesco Tomato And Mascarpone Sauce 350G was £1.60 / £1.80 (12.5%)
• Onken Biopot Fat Free Mango & Yogurt 450G was £1.60 / £1.75 (9.4%)

• Lloyd Grossman Tikka Masala Sauce 350G was £2 / now £2.15 (7.5%)

• Quality Street 232g was Clubcard £2 / now £3 220g (50%)

• Tesco Salt & Vinegar Crisps 6X25g was 85p / now £1 (17.6%)

• Tesco Ripe Bananas 5 Pack was 71p / now 75p (5.6%)

• Grower's Harvest Chopped Tomatoes 400G was 28p each (£1.12 for 4) / now 32p each (£1.28 for 4) (14.2%)

• Tesco Bramley Apple Pies 6 Pack was 79p / now 95p (20.2%)

• Cadbury Wispa Gold Chocolate 4 Pack was 98p / now £1.25 (27.6%)

• Highland Spring Sparkling Water 8X500ml was £2.75 / now £3 (9.1%)

• Tesco Maris Piper Potatoes 2.5Kg was £1.39 / now £1.49 (7.2%)

• Tesco Apple Cider 4X440ml Can was £2.20 / now £2.50 (13.6%)

• Heinz Cream Of Tomato Soup Mug Size 300G was 85p each (£1.70 for 2) / now £1.20 each (£2.40 for 2) (41.2%)

• Tesco Carrots 1Kg was 43p / now 45p (4.7%)

• Tesco Tomato & Herb Pizza Sauce 200G was £1.10 / now £1.50 (36.4%)

• Tesco Spirali Pasta 500G was 80p / now 95p (18.8%)

• Maynards Bassetts Jelly Babies 400G was £2 / now £3 (50%)

• Cadbury Caramilk Chocolate Bar 90G was 98p / now £1.25 (27.6%)

• Tesco Angel Layer Cake was £1.45 / now £1.60 (10.3%)

• Tesco Pineapple was 85p / now 89p (4.7%)

• Tesco Finest 4 British Beef Steak Burgers 454G was £3.50 (£3 Clubcard) / now £4 (33.3%)

Price has stayed the same

• Tesco Baby Corn 130G £1.20
• Eastmans Wafer Thin Cooked Ham 400G £1.69
• Tesco Cheese & Chive Dip 200G £1.20
• Woodside Farms Unsmoked Back Bacon 300G £1.25
• Peperami Original 5 Pack 5X22.5G was £2.30 (£2 Clubcard) / £2.50 (£2 Clubcard)

• Natural Confectionery Co Jelly Snakes 160G £1

• Cadbury Dairy Milk Orange Giant Buttons £1.25

• Jammie Dodgers 140G 70p (60p Clubcard)

• Hovis Soft White Thick Bread 800G £1.20

• Rowntrees Randoms Pouch 150G 89p

• Clay Oven Bakery 2 Garlic & Coriander Naan £1.60

• Tesco White Chocolate Cookies 5 Pack was £1 / now £1.20 (Clubcard £1)

• Tesco Distilled Vinegar 568Ml 29p

• Old El Paso Crispy Chicken Fajita Spice Mix 85G £1

• Tesco Ibuprofen 200Mg 16 Tablets 39p

• Colgate Triple Action Toothpaste 100Ml 98p

• H.W Nevills 8 Plain Tortilla Wraps 85p

• Large White Bap 4 Pack 80p

Down in price

• Growers Harvest Orange Juice Smooth 1L was 79p (£1.58 for 2) / now 75p (£1.50 for 2)
• Growers Harvest Pure Apple Juice 1 Litre was 79p (£1.58 for 2) / now 75p (£1.50 for 2)

• Mccain Crispy French Fries 900G was £3 / now £3 (£2 Clubcard)

• Birds Eye 2 Crispy Chicken 170G was £1.80 / now £2.15 (£1.25 Clubcard)

• Magnum White Ice Cream 4 X 110Ml was £3.25 / now £3.25 (£2.75 Clubcard)

• I Heart Prosecco 75Cl was £8.50 / now £8.50 (£7.50 Clubcard)

• Heinz Spaghetti & Sausages 400G Can was £1.40 each (£4.20 for 3) / now £1.70 each (3 for £4 Clubcard)

Total

was £90.62 / now £97.72 - (7.8% increase)

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