London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

Cost of living: Grocery prices up by 'more than 20%' in advance of food inflation caused by Ukraine war

Cost of living: Grocery prices up by 'more than 20%' in advance of food inflation caused by Ukraine war

Which? calls for greater transparency on pricing from supermarkets, accusing the sector of letting consumers down at a time when they need support amid the cost of living crisis.
Hundreds of staple grocery items had shot up in price by more than a fifth over the two years prior to the surge in food inflation caused by Russia's war in Ukraine, according to an investigation.

As households get to grips with a growing cost of living crisis, the consumer group Which? said that shoppers were also seeing fewer discounts and value ranges.

Its analysis of the average prices for 21,000 groceries at eight major chains over the 24 months to February showed that 265 items had soared in cost by more than 20%.

They included, the report said, a 500g box of Kellogg's Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes breakfast cereal which was 21.4% higher at Tesco.

Asda's 250g Own Label Closed Cup Mushrooms, up 21.4%, made the list too while Cathedral City Extra Mature Cheddar 350g was 21.1% higher at Ocado.

Efforts to combat obesity were also reflected in the findings as, out of 20 major categories, fizzy drinks saw the biggest average price rise at 5.9%.

Shoppers have been grappling a surge in prices linked to supply chain difficulties in the global economy since last year.

Much of it is easily explained by demand outstripping supply as countries navigate COVID-19 disruption.

However, the inflationary situation was exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine at the end of February which forced up wholesale costs for key commodities such as wheat.

Rising energy costs in the economy have also been passed on since - with the latest official figures showing the annual rate of food and drink inflation at 6.7% in April and forecast to increase further.

The overall headline rate of inflation is at a 40-year high of 9% as household energy and fuel bills hit record levels, intensifying the squeeze on shoppers' budgets.

Which? found that groceries with the lowest inflation included chocolate (1.4%), fresh fruit (1.6%), biscuits (1.8%) and vegetables (1.9%).

Examples of 'shrinkflation' - reducing the size of a product while maintaining the original price - included Nescafe Azera Americano decaffeinated instant coffee shrinking from 100g to 90g and Walkers Classic Variety crisps dropping from 24 bags in a multipack to 22 bags.

The number of promotions was found to have fallen across every one of the 20 categories the watchdog studied.

It said budget own-brand items were also unavailable on three times as many days during its most recent checks in February.

Sue Davies, Which? head of food policy and consumer rights, said: "Our research reveals that eye-watering price rises are being exacerbated by practices like shrinkflation and limited availability of all-important budget ranges - and these factors are combining to put huge pressure on household shopping budgets."

A Tesco spokesman responded: "We are committed to providing great value for our customers, whether it's promising 'Low Everyday Prices' on 1,600 staples, price matching around 650 basics to Aldi prices, or offering exclusive deals and rewards through thousands of Clubcard prices."
Comments

Oh ya 3 year ago
Yup when the central banks of the world print trillions of dollars over the last 2 years you sky rocketing inflation. So put the blame where it really is

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
×