The stores with the highest overall food inflation from one year to the next have been identified, as cost-of-living concerns mount ahead of the winter season.
During the current cost-of-living crisis, the prices of store-brand and low-priced items in supermarkets have risen far more rapidly than those of premium and branded commodities.
Which? monitored tens of thousands of products across eight major supermarkets; cheap ranges increased by up to 18%, while luxury lines increased by 12%.
The product with the greatest price increase was Waitrose’s chocolate chip shortbread. In the year ending 31 October 2021, the price was 82 pence, but by the following year, it had increased to £2.25.
Meanwhile, a chili con carne ready meal from Asda cost £1.20 last year but will cost £2.79 by 2022, an increase of 132%.
While Aldi and Lidl are often the cheapest of the major supermarket chains, research by Which? indicates that they are the worst supermarkets for inflation, with prices increasing by an average of 19%.
Asda ranked third with 15.2%, followed by Morrisons with 14.4%, Waitrose with 14.2%, Sainsbury’s with 13.7%, and Tesco with 12.0%. Ocado had the lowest overall inflation, yet prices still increased by 10.3%.
Even though budget lines have been severely impacted by the cost of living issue, Which? has asked supermarkets to make greater efforts to ensure that they are offered at all branches, even tiny convenience stores.
Which? Sue Davies, head of food policy, stated that the data paints a grim image, but the consumer watchdog believes that it will assist “millions of consumers in finding the best possible value with their weekly shop.”
She went on: “We are aware that large retailers can take action and make a significant impact for those enduring the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades. This is why we’re urging them to ensure that everyone has easy access to basic, cheap food lines at a nearby shop, can quickly compare prices to choose the best value, and that promotion are geared toward helping those in most need “.
Aldi stated that the increase in the price of milk in its stores was a result of its choice to pay suppliers more, which benefited British dairy producers.
In the meantime, Lidl has contested the statistics and stated: “Before the press release was distributed to the media, we informed Which? of many errors in the Lidl price data. This includes almost 100 distinct pricing errors, which were pointed out to Which? Despite this, they have chosen to deceive consumers by reporting false information.”
Asda stated that it was focused on controlling the pricing of branded and private-label products, while Morrisons pledged to remain competitive despite “extraordinary inflation.”
Waitrose warned that “no retailer is immune to inflation,” citing growing manufacturing costs and the conflict in Ukraine as reasons that have contributed to price increases. Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s announced that it will invest £500 million to decrease the prices of its most popular products.
Tesco has frozen the prices of over 1,000 home items until 2023 and is “keeping a laser focus on the cost of the weekly shop,” according to a spokeswoman.
