The price of Heinz tomato ketchup has risen by as much as 70 per cent in one supermarket and 53 per cent on average, a new study has revealed. According to The Guardian, the data - carried out by consumer champion Which? - shows that this brand of tommy sauce is the biggest riser in a list of leading branded groceries.
Two other Heinz products - cream of chicken and tomato soups - were also in the top 10 in the index of average price rises compiled by Which?. The consumer group found that its list of 79 branded products exceeded the overall rate of grocery price inflation, with none rising less than 22 per cent.
The data comes four months after Heinz products vanished from the shelves of Tesco due to a row over price increases. Heinz was thought to have been seeking cost price rises of as much as 30 per cent in the summer.
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Earlier this month Bristol Live reported that grocery price inflation has hit a record 14.7 per cent to add a potential £682 to the annual cost of a basket amid warnings there is still no sign of a peak. Sales of supermarket own-label products jumped again by 10.3 per cent over the latest four weeks and the cheapest value ranges grew by 42 per cent as shoppers sought to manage their budgets, according to Kantar.
According to The Guardian, analysts at Kantar say overall grocery price inflation stood at 17.2 per cent in relation to October 2020 – the closest available comparison with the Which? survey. The price of Heinz ketchup rose by an average of 90p but was up 70 per cent at one particular supermarket over the two-year period – an increase of £1.06.
A spokesperson for Kraft Heinz, the parent group of the ketchup brand, said: “Like the rest of the food industry, we are continuing to face inflationary pressures on ingredients, labour and transportation. “As a result, the prices of our products continue to reflect the costs of production. We value our consumers and are aware of the daily role Heinz products play in households across the UK.
“We remain committed to helping them offset some of the pressures consumers are facing without compromising on quality. This is through larger pack sizes, a wider range of entry-price points as well as finding efficiencies in our operations, like removing unnecessary ingredients, and investing further in technology.”
The second-biggest average percentage increase among the branded products included in the Which? list was for Dolmio lasagne sauce (470g), which rose 47 per cent , or 61p, across the six supermarkets in the two years. It was followed by the Heinz 400g of classic cream of chicken soup, which went up 46 per cent, and Dolmio bolognese original pasta sauce, increasing by 46 per cent.
Butter saw some of the biggest rises. A 500g tub of Anchor spreadable butter went up by £1.31 (45 per cent ) on average, while the same-sized tub of Lurpak spreadable slightly salted was up by £1.17 (35 per cent).
Sue Davies, head of food policy at Which?, said: “Our research shows the shocking rate of inflation on some of the nation’s favourite branded foods, which is much higher than the national average and highlights why it is so important for retailers to provide people with a choice of product ranges.
“Supermarkets must ensure budget lines for healthy and affordable essential items are widely available across their stores including smaller convenience stores. Promotions should be targeted at those most in need and people supported so they can easily compare the price of products to get the best value.”
Read more about the cost of living here.
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