It feels like a lifetime ago when we could visit the supermarket without fearing what price rises might be in store.
Since the cost of living crisis started towards the end of November 2021, we've seen products increasing on a weekly basis.
And it's not just a few pence either, we're talking 20p to 30p hikes at a time.
There are obviously some products that have taken more of a hit than others, but generally grocery prices have risen across the board.
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To see just how much things have gone up, this week I repeated a big shop I did at Tesco in December 2021, just as the crisis was taking hold.
Back then my shopping came to just over £90 - with a four pint bottle of milk costing £1.15 rather than today's £1.65 - and a Soft White Hovis loaf costing 99p, rather than the current £1.40, both amounting to hikes of more than 40%.
Today's bill for the same items is just shy of £111, that's a massive 23.2% increase overall. And as well as being dearer, some items are also smaller, which only adds insult to injury.
Tesco's curry meals for example were £3.50 for 550g, but are now £3.75 for 500g. And Muller Light yogurts have gone from costing £2.25 for a six-pack of 160g tubs, to £3.50 for six 140g pots. They are cheaper with the retailer's Clubcard, which brings them down to £2.50, but you're still paying more for a lot less.
Some of the other hikes are ludicrous, a 1kg pack of frozen garden peas up by 89%, honeydew melon up by 78% and breaded chicken goujons up by 73%.
Other fruit and veg has taken a hit too - pears up 61%, broccoli up 47% and potatoes up 38%.
And we're paying a lot more for other dairy products too, like cheese, which has risen by 60%, sour cream dip up 52% and Onken yogurts up 30%.
Of the 58 products I bought, 53 have risen in price, 24 of them by 30% or more. Of the five products that have dropped in price, four of those are due to Clubcard offers.
It paints a bleak picture for shoppers who only this week were warned that price increases are not ending any time soon.
And with grocery inflation continuing to climb during February, reaching a new record high of 17.1%, Kantar Worldpanel reported that the increase over the past 12 months has added a potential £811 to annual household shopping bills.
Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, said: “Shoppers have been facing sustained price rises for some time now and this February marks a full year since monthly grocery inflation climbed above 4%. This is having a big impact on people’s lives.
“Our latest research shows that grocery price inflation is the second most important financial issue for the public behind energy costs, with two thirds of people concerned by food and drink prices, above public sector strikes and climate change.
“One quarter say they’re struggling financially, versus one in five this time last year. The numbers speak for themselves.”
Tesco says that a comparison shop of this nature is not a true reflection of how someone would shop, as there would likely be cheaper alternatives on offer with either its Clubcard or its Aldi Price Match scheme.
A 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 hundreds of everyday 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.”
Have you changed where you shop since the cost of living crisis started? Let us know in the comments.
Shopping bills Dec 1, 2021 / March 1, 2023 (% increase)
Tesco Garden Peas 1Kg 66p / £1.25 (89%)
Tesco Honeydew Melon 95p / £1.69 (78%)
Hearty Food Co. Breaded Chicken Goujons 270G £1.15 / £1.99 (73%)
Tesco Stir Fry 320G £1 / £1.70 (70%)
Mcvitie's Jaffa Cakes Twin Pack 244G Clubcard 90p / Clubcard £1.50 (67%)
Rosedene Farms Small Pear Pack 550G 57p / 92p Aldi Price Match (61%)
Tesco 30% Reduced Fat Mature Cheese 400G £2 / £3.20 (60%)
2 x Tesco Thick Bleach Fresh 750Ml 39p each so 78p / 60p each so £1.20 (54%)
Tesco Sour Cream & Chive Dip 200G 79p / £1.20 (52%)
Frubes Strawberry Yogurts 9X37g £1.50 Clubcard / £2.25 (50%)
Tesco Sparkling Lemonade 2L Bottle 40p / 60p (50%)
Broccoli loose 49p / 72p (47%)
Granulated Sugar 1Kg 65p / 95p Aldi Price Match (46%)
Tesco Skimmed Milk 2.272L 4 Pints £1.15 / £1.65 (43%)
2 x Hovis Soft White Thick Bread 800G 99p each so £1.98 / £1.40 each so £2.80 Aldi Price Match (41%)
Birds Eye 6 Chunky Fish Fingers Extra Large 360G £2.50 / £3.50 (40%)
Magnum White Ice Cream 4 X 110Ml £2.50 Clubcard / £3.50 (40%)
Cadbury Twirl 4 Pack 136G 98p / £1.35 (38%)
Tesco Maris Piper Potatoes 2.5Kg £1.15 / £1.59 Aldi Price Match (38%)
Tesco Spirali Pasta 500G 70p / 95p (36%)
Tesco Southern Fried Breaded Chicken Mini Fillets 305G £2.50 / £3.35 (34%)
Tesco Cool Tortilla Chips 200G 76p / £1 (32%)
Onken Biopot Fat Free Mango & Yogurt 450G £1.50 / £1.95 (30%)
Onken Biopot Summer Raspberry Yogurt 450G £1.50 / £1.95 (30%)
Squashies Drumsticks 160G 89p / £1.15 (29%)
Tesco British Large Whole Chicken 1.5Kg - 1.9Kg £3.75 / £4.80 (28%)
Tesco Cherry Bakewell Tarts 6 Pack 75p / 95p Aldi Price Match (27%)
Tesco Pineapple 75p / 95p (27%)
Tesco Carrots 1Kg 40p / 50p (25%)
Tesco Tomato & Basil Sauce 350G £1.45 / £1.80 (24%)
Tesco Tomato And Mascarpone Sauce 350G £1.45 / £1.80 (24%)
2 x Growers Harvest Orange Juice Smooth 1L 69p each £1.38 / 85p each so £1.70 (23%)
2 x Growers Harvest Pure Apple Juice 1 Litre 69p £1.38 for both / 85p so £1.70 for both (23%)
Carex Handwash Sensitive 250Ml 99p / £1.20 (21%)
- Tesco cauliflower 79p / 95p (20%)
Highland Spring Sparkling Water 8X500ml £2.50 / £3 (20%)
- Tesco Finest Italian Spicy Salami Pizza 405G and flatbread 200G meal deal £5 / £6 (20%)
Tesco British Chicken Breast Portions 650G £3.75 / £4.50 (20%)
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light Spread 450g £1.25 / £1.50 (20%)
2 x loose brown onions 20p / 24p (20%)
Eastmans Wafer Thin Cooked Ham 400G £1.59 / £1.89 (19%)
Tesco Beef Lean Steak Mince 5% Fat 750G £3.99 / £4.69 Aldi Price Match (18%)
Tesco Small Bananas 6 Pack 68p / 79p (16%)
Tesco Garlic Flatbread 255G £2 / £2.30 (15%)
2 x Grower's Harvest Chopped Tomatoes 400G 28p each so 56p / 32p each so 64p Aldi Price Match (14%)
Woodside Farms Unsmoked Back Bacon 300G £1.25 / £1.40 (12%)
Muller Light Toffee & Vanilla Yogurt 6 X 160G £2.25 / now 6 X 140G £2.50 Clubcard (11%)
Woodside Farms Unsmoked Gammon Joint 1.0KG £3.40 / £3.79 (11%)
Tesco curry meal for one 550G £3.50 / now 500G £3.75 (7%)
Tesco Salsa 300G 80p / 85p (6%)
Tesco Fine Egg Noodles 250G £1 / £1.05 (5%)
Mccoy's Salt & Malt Vinegar Crisps 6X25g £1.70 / Clubcard £1.75 (3%)
- Tesco Strawberries 227G £2.25 / £2.30 (2%)
Pukka All Steak Pie £1.65 / Clubcard £1.50 (-9%)
Soreen 5 Apple Lunchbox Loaves 150G £1.40 / Clubcard £1.25 (-11%)
- Tesco Red Seedless Grapes Punnet 500G £2 / Clubcard £1.75 (-12.5%)
- Mr Kipling Mini Battenberg Cakes 5 Pack £1.80 / £1.39 (-23%)
- Mr Kipling Lemon Slices 8 Pack £2.50 / Clubcard £1.85 (-26%)
Total
was £90.06 / now £110.94 (23.2% increase)
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