Everyday food items including porridge oats, meat and yoghurt have increased in price by up to 145% year-on-year, according to the latest data from Which?
Having analysed the prices of almost 27,000 food and drink products in September at Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose, the consumer watchdog found that price increases could make it harder for shoppers to eat healthily.
The product found to have had the worst price increases year-on-year was Tesco’s 1.5kg bag of Irish porridge oats which more than doubled in price from £1.23 on average in the three months to the end of September 2022, to £3 in the same period in 2023 – an increase of 144%.
However, this product is not on sale in Great Britian and is only sold in a small number of Tesco’s stores in Northern Ireland.
Asda’s Lancashire Farm natural yoghurt saw a 78% price rise over the same period from £1 to £1.78.
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Which? also recently found that the most affordable budget range versions of products are rarely stocked in thousands of smaller convenience branches of the big supermarkets.
As a result, it has been calling on the leading grocers to stock essential budget range items in these stores as 66% of those with an income of £21,000 or less shop in a convenience store at least once a week.
Morrisons responded to this by introducing a range of entry level products to its convenience stores in July.
Which? head of food policy, Sue Davies, said: “While the general rate of inflation may be easing, everyday essential foods are still subject to crippling price hikes on supermarket shelves. We know millions of people up and down the country continue to struggle to put food on the table, let alone maintain a balanced diet for themselves or their loved ones.
“Supermarkets have the power to ease the huge pressure faced by shoppers, especially families and those on low incomes. They can do more to help by stocking a range of budget range items that will support a healthy diet in their convenience stores.”
