Sandwich price shocks but meal deal costs rise less than average food inflation

Pret a Manger’s ‘posh’ cheese and pickle sandwich. Photograph: Martin Lee/Alamy

It’s not often that a cheese and pickle sandwich turns heads, but this week Pret a Manger’s “posh” version grabbed headlines after a tweet decrying its £7.15 price tag went viral.

Although that included VAT for eating in, the social media post shone a spotlight on the rising cost of lunch on the go, as the soaring cost of ingredients has been passed on to consumers.