Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Jun 05, 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."
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
Hungary Partners with China to Boost Electric Vehicle Production
‘Vibe Coding’ Emerges as the New DIY Trend
AI Pioneer Yoshua Bengio Warns Models Can Deceive Users
Big Four Firms Rush to Create AI Auditing Systems
Musk’s xAI Pursues $113 Billion Valuation in New Share Sale
Walmart Increases Revenue Despite Shrinking Workforce
Hims & Hers Plans UK and EU Launch of Replica Obesity Drugs
Toyota to Acquire Supplier in $33 Billion Buyout
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
×