Grocery prices soar more than 25.8% in two years, says Which?

The price of groceries at supermarkets has gone up 25.8% since the cost of living crisis began, according to new data by Which?

Which? looked at the prices of more than 21,000 food and drink products at eight major supermarkets – Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose – since June 2021, when CPI inflation was 2.5%.

According to the new report, it found that some items were almost three times more expensive in the three months to the end of June 2023 compared to the same period in 2021.

It found that a six-pack of Mr Kipling Bakewell cake slices at Sainsbury’s, which went from £1 to £2.75 on average – a rise of 175%. The same brand’s chocolate slices went from £1 to £2.59 – a 159% rise at Tesco.

Also at Sainsbury’s, British Pork Loin Steaks (4 x 480g) went from £1.94 to £4.28, a 120.6% increase.
Morrisons’ own-label mozzarella (125g) went from 49p to £1.19, up 142.9%, while Asda’s own-label Free From Special Flakes (300g) went from 62p to £1.50, a rise of 141.9%.

At Lidl, a pack of Wesergold orange juice from concentrate (5 x 200ml) went from 68p to £1.49 on average, a hike of 120.6%.

Additionally, it found that budget-range groceries had also gone up 37.1% in two years.

While these products are still usually the “cheapest” available, Which? said that “the scale of these price hikes shows how the poorest in society are being hit the hardest by increased prices”.

Which? has urged the government to ensure that “reformed legislation is fit for purpose, and reflects current trading practice so that transparent pricing becomes a priority”.

Sue Davies, Which? head of food policy, said: Our research exposes the shocking true scale of food price inflation at supermarkets since the cost of living crisis began and shows why recent headline-grabbing price cuts of a few pence on some products are encouraging, but simply won’t be enough to help people struggling to put food on the table.

‘It’s crucial that the government responds quickly to the CMA’s grocery pricing review by updating the rules so they are fit for purpose, as we’ve found pricing practices, both online and instore, to be inconsistent, confusing and sometimes missing altogether. Supermarkets should also improve how they display prices in the meantime – particularly where unit pricing is currently not provided on loyalty card offers, such as Tesco’s Clubcard.”