The cost of staples like cheddar, bread and oatmeal soar in a year | shopping lifestyle

Popular items regularly found in our trolleys have been hit hard by inflation – with the cost of even cheaper private label items rising by almost a quarter.

Analysis of which? shows that food and drink prices in UK supermarkets rose by 17.2% in eight major supermarkets in March, up from 16.5% in the previous month.

The consumer group analyzed inflation at Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose over the last year and found that prices for cheddar cheese rose by 28.3%, oatmeal by 35.5% and Sliced ​​white bread increased by 22.8%.

But tracking shows that supermarket own-brand products, while remaining a cheaper option, are hit the hardest by inflation on a percentage basis.

Private label budget items increased by 24.8% in March compared to the same period last year.

That’s more than the 20.5% increase in standard supermarket own-brand and the 13.8% increase in branded and premium own-brand ranges.

Which? calls on supermarkets to keep household items widely available and affordable.

Sue Davies, head of food policy for the group, said: “Our latest supermarket food and drink tracker paints a bleak picture for the millions of households already skipping meals how inflation is affecting prices on supermarket shelves, with the poorest are again feeling the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis.

“While the entire grocery chain affects prices, supermarkets have the power to do more to support people who are struggling, including ensuring everyone has easy access to basic, affordable groceries at a store near them, particularly in Areas where people need help most.

“Supermarkets also need to offer transparent prices so people can easily find out which products offer the best value for money.”

Which? has warned that high-quality groceries, while still a cheaper option, risk becoming too expensive for those on the tightest of budgets.

They say Asda’s Just Essentials budget pack of eight sausages has gone from 81p to £1.40, an increase of 73.5%. The value of Tesco’s Woodside Farms pack of eight sausages rose 73.3% from 80p to £1.39 over the same period.

Average white potato inflation across the eight supermarkets was around 14%, but a pack of four baked potatoes at Morrisons rose 63.5% – from 40p to 66p.

Asda released its own study last month which found that 40% of the UK’s 28 million households were not earning enough to cover all of their bills in February 2023.

The supermarket says it has launched an initiative to freeze the prices of hundreds of branded and private label products until the end of the summer.

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