Supermarket food prices have risen by over 25% in the past two years, according to Which?, as it calls for a clampdown on retailer pricing practices.
The consumer watchdog said that the government should close loopholes that cause the “confusing and inconsistent” pricing practices of some UK supermarkets, The Guardian reported.
This comes as Which? reported Tesco to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) last month for failing to provide unit prices for loyalty card offers, which the group said makes it harder for shoppers to compare value for money against different packaging sizes and brands.
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Following this, Tesco UK chief executive, Jason Tarry, said in a blog post that the retailer would include unit prices on its Clubcard promotions by early 2024 “to make it simpler for our customers to see by weight or volume just how competitive those offers are”.
Which? head of food policy, Sue Davies, said: “Two years of relentlessly soaring food prices have had a devastating impact on households.
“This isn’t helped by the confusing and inconsistent pricing practices used by some supermarkets, which make it incredibly difficult to work out how to find the best value products.”
In January, the CMA launched a review into online and in-store pricing practices in the grocery sector, following concerns raised over whether shoppers are able to fairly compare the prices of items amid the backdrop of the rising cost of living.
The watchdog is expected to update on this investigation on Thursday (20 July).
