Food inflation soars again – as Britain’s favourite cheese spikes by up to 80%

The cost of British food staples such as cheese, white bread and porridge oats have soared – with one brand of cheddar increasing by 80 per cent in one year.

Overall inflation on food and drink at supermarkets continued to rise in March to 17.2 per cent, up from 16.5 per cent the month before, Which? found.

The price of cheddar cheese, which accounts for roughly half of all cheese sales in the UK, increased by an average 28.3 per cent across eight major supermarkets – Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose – compared to a year ago.

Dragon Welsh Mature Cheddar 180g at Asda, increased from £1 in the three months to the end of March last year to £1.80 across the same period this year – an 80 per cent hike year on year.

The consumer group analysed inflation on more than 26,000 food and drink products at the eight supermarkets, and also selected a basket of staple foods including cheddar cheese, sliced white bread, pork sausages, white potatoes and porridge oats to find which of these everyday products had seen the biggest price hikes.

The cost of porridge oats went up by an average of 35.5 per cent across all eight supermarkets compared to the same time last year.

However, the worst single example of inflation on porridge oats was at Ocado where Quaker Oat So Simple Protein Porridge Pot Original 49g went from 94p to £1.56 – an increase of 65.5 per cent.

Large 800g loaves of sliced white bread saw an average increase of 22.8 per cent, but The Bakery at Asda Soft White Medium Sliced Bread 800g increased by 67 per cent from 56p to 94p.

Source: Which?

Average inflation in white potatoes was around 14 per cent, but a four-pack of baking potatoes at Morrisons increased from 40p to 66p – a rise of 63.5 per cent.

Pork sausages increased by an average of 26.8 per cent across the supermarkets. However Asda’s Just Essentials budget range of eight sausages increased in price by 73.5 per cent from 81p to £1.40, while Tesco’s value Woodside Farms pack of eight went from 80p to £1.39, a 73.3 per cent increase.

The figures show it continues to be the cheapest products which are being the hardest hit by inflation in percentage terms.

Which?’s tracker shows supermarket own-label budget items – which are still the cheapest overall – were up 24.8 per cent in March compared with the same time last year, higher than the 20.5 per cent increase seen on standard supermarket own brands and the 13.8 per cent on branded and premium own brand ranges.

It warned that even value foods, despite remaining a cheaper option, were at risk of becoming too expensive for those on the tightest budgets.

Which? is calling on the major supermarkets to act by making budget line items widely available, particularly in areas where people are most in need, and to make pricing and offers more transparent so that people can easily work out which products are the best value.

As Asda spokesperson said despite global inflationary pressures, the supermarket is working hard to keep prices down for customers.

“We recently announced we would be freezing the prices of over 500 popular branded and own label products, more than half of which are fresh meat, dairy, fruit and vegetable products until the end of May,” a spokesperson added.

A Waitrose spokesperson said that dairy is one of the categories “most impacted” by inflation which “no retailer is immune” to. “We’re working hard to keep our prices as low as possible, whilst paying our farmers and suppliers fairly, and maintaining high animal welfare standards,” the spokesperson said.

Sue Davies, Which? head of food policy, said: “Our latest supermarket food and drink tracker paints a bleak picture for the millions of households already skipping meals ... with the poorest once again feeling the brunt of the cost of living crisis.

“While the whole food chain affects prices, supermarkets have the power to do more to support people who are struggling, including ensuring everyone has easy access to basic, affordable food ranges at a store near them, particularly in areas where people are most in need.

“Supermarkets must also provide transparent pricing so people can easily work out which products offer the best value.”