Food Costs Double in Britain: Reports
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Food prices in Britain have continued to surge, with certain meat products, yogurt, and vegetables seeing prices double in the past year, according to the latest findings from the consumer insight tracker "Which?".
The monthly survey, commissioned by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), revealed on Tuesday that inflation in categories previously affected by sharp increases, such as milk, butter, spreads, and bakery items, has slightly eased. However, other essential food groups have continued to rise consistently month after month.
The April analysis conducted on over 26,000 food and drink products across eight major supermarkets showed an average cost increase of 15% for meat, 16.5% for fish, 21.8% for yogurt, and 15.3% for vegetables.
"Looking at averages across a longer three-month period, we found some examples of individual items doubling in price in the space of a year," stated the report.
For instance, at Asda, Morliny Frankfurters (350g) saw an average price rise from £1.25 ($1.56) to £2.42 ($3.03), marking a 93.8% increase compared to a year ago. Over the course of 12 months, a pack of four brown onions at Morrisons rose from 65 pence to £1.24, representing a rise of more than 90%.
Meanwhile, Aberdoyle Dairies Natural Cottage Cheese at Lidl witnessed a staggering price increase, surging from 67 pence in 2022 to £1.34 this year, indicating a 100.9% rise.
"These examples of massive supermarket price hikes on some common food types show how difficult it is, particularly for customers on low incomes, to maintain a healthy diet," emphasized the researcher. "Other food categories where inflation continued to rise month on month included juice, chocolate, water, fish, chilled ready meals, and cheese."
In light of the "shockingly high levels" of food inflation, the agency urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to intervene on behalf of struggling consumers.
"It's very alarming to see products such as meat, cheese, and vegetables that people rely on still rapidly soaring in price," said Sue Davies, the head of food policy at 'Which?'. Davies further added, "Supermarkets must also provide transparent pricing so people can easily work out which products offer the best value."
Official figures indicate a slight easing of the inflation rate in Britain last month, but it still remains above 10%, with food and drink costs at a 45-year high.
Huw Pill, the chief economist of the Bank of England, stated in late April that British households and businesses needed to accept their decreased financial status and refrain from seeking wage increases, as it would only drive prices higher.
