A supermarket has been accused of 'taking the mick' out of shoppers, after raising product prises on highly-sought after essentials.
The MEN's weekly comparison of basics such as milk and bread among other household staples has been keeping a watchful eye on increasing costs over the last few months. And the shopping bill for the same eight products has risen week after week at the big six supermarkets in Tesco, Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Sainsbury's and Morrisons.
And it's the latter who has been making most of the headlines though, after initially starting out cheapest it has quickly climbed to the most expensive in a matter of weeks.
Read more: Aldi ready to overtake Morrisons as UK's fourth biggest supermarket
The increase - from £9.78 at the end of May in total up to £11.15 by July - is mainly due to main prices, with a 500g pack of mince costing £2.19 and a 300g pack of chicken breats at £2.49. But now the bill has soared once more, after the price of Morrisons 250g block of butter went from £1.75 to £1.99 - a hike of almost 14 per cent. Baked beans also risen accordingly, from 25p to 29p per tin.
The MEN have also adjusted the price of Morrisons cheapest loaf. As they requested a price of the supermarket's cheapest 800g loaf, the retailer provided the pro rata cost of a savers loaf, which is smaller at 720g.
And shoppers are less than impressed with the leading retailer's price hikes, with one loyal customer saying: "They're really taking the mick now, I've shopped there for years, but the prices seem to be going up more than anywhere else. It feels like they're laughing at us."
Another, added: "I know prices are going up everywhere, but there seems no end to it. I like the quality of Morrisons products, but I can't keep paying more."
Earlier in July, the MEN reported how the bill for eight basics at all six supermarkets topped £10 for the first time - compiling of a two-pint bottle of milk, a loaf of bread, coffee, teabags, butter, beans, chicken breasts and mince. This week's changes have taken Morrison's overall bill to £11.78, which is a difference of £1.66 from the cheapest supermarket in Asda.
Asda also in-turn swiped the 'cheapest' status from Lidl, which held if for the last six weeks - following a rise in the cost of the German retailer's chicken breasts. They decided to match Aldi's new price of £2.15, which has put them in second place in terms of cost efficiency at £10.17, 5p more than Asda's £10.12.
And Aldi has in-turn moved back into the midsection of the rankings, slightly ahead of Tesco after they dropped their price of mince to £1.69 - matching the cost of Asda's Just Essentials pack. Tesco sits at fourth at £10.32, while Sainsbury's drags fifth at £10.84.
The only slight difference in size of product worth noting is that of the baked beans, which range from 400g in Sainsbury's and 410g in Asda, to the standard 420 g in Aldi, Lidl and Tesco. And while Asda's pack of chicken is slightly larger, we've worked out the equivalent price for a fairer comparison.
Morrisons says that while its cheaper Savers butter is no longer stocked online, it is still available in stores.
Here's the shopping list and total for each supermarket (as of Friday, July 22):
Asda
Loaf of white bread 800g (Just Essentials) - 39p
Milk 2 pints - £1.15
Coffee 200g (2 x 100g Just Essentials) - £1.50
Teabags 160 (4 x 40-pack Smart Price) - £1.12
Salted butter 250g - £1.75
Beans 410g tin (Smart Price) - 25p
Chicken (bigger 350g pack for £2.65) - equates to £2.27
Mince 500g 20% fat - £1.69
Total £10.12
Lidl
Loaf of white bread 800g - 36p
Milk 2 pints - £1.15
Coffee 200g - £1.69
Teabags 160 - 99p
Salted butter 250g - £1.72
Beans 420g tin - 22p
Chicken 300g - £2.15 (up from £2.09)
Mince 500g 20% fat - £1.89
Total £10.17 (up from £10.11)
Aldi
Loaf of white bread 800g - 36p
Milk 2 pints - £1.15
Coffee 200g - £1.69
Teabags 160 - £1.29
Salted butter 250g - £1.75
Beans 420g tin - 22p
Chicken 300g - £2.15
Mince 500g 20% fat - £1.69 (down from £1.89)
Total £10.30 (down from £10.50)
Tesco
Loaf of white bread 800g - 36p
Milk 2 pints - £1.15
Coffee 200g (2 x 100g) - £1.70
Teabags 160 (2 x 80-pack) - £1.30
Salted butter 250g - £1.75
Beans 420g tin - 22p
Chicken 300g - £2.25
Mince 500g 20% fat - £1.89
Total £10.32
Sainsbury's
Loaf of white bread 800g - 36p
Milk 2 pints - £1.15
Coffee 200g £1.69
Teabags 160 - £1.29
Salted butter 250g - £1.75
Beans 400g tin - 21p
Chicken 300g - £2.50
Mince 500g 20% fat - £1.89
Total £10.84
Morrisons
Loaf of white bread 800g - 79p (up from 54p Savers pro rata price)
Milk 2 pints - £1.15
Coffee (2 x 100g) - £1.70
Teabags 160 (2 x 80-pack Savers) - £1.18
Salted butter 250g - £1.99 (up from £1.75)
Beans 410g tin - 29p (up from 25p)
Chicken 300g - £2.49
Mince 500g 20% fat - £2.19
Total £11.78 (up from £11.25)
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