• 

The price of staple foods, most notably cheddar cheese and white bread, has risen to 80% across eight major supermarkets in the UK over the past year - clear proof that inflation is hitting those on the tightest budgets the hardest.

Consumer advocacy group Which? analyzed the cost of a variety of British staples and found that porridge oats had the highest average price increase, up 35.5%, followed by skim milk at 33.6% and cheddar cheese at 28.3%.

Meanwhile, a 180g bag of Dragon cheddar cheese in Asda cost 80% more than it did a year earlier, making it the most inflationary product line in the survey. Own-label cheddar sticks sold by the same retailer increased by just under 79%. The cost-effective Just Essentials pork sausages from Asda increased by 73%, matching Tesco's Woodside Farms best-value pork sausages in growth.

The Which? survey illustrates a recent pattern of price increases in supermarkets' budget ranges, regular own-label products, and international brands as merchants pass on price increases associated with rising energy and commodity costs.

When compared to the same period last year, the price of porridge oats increased at an average rate of 35.5% in each of the eight supermarkets surveyed. The largest price increase at Ocado was for porridge oats, which was roughly 65.5%. As a result, the price of the Quaker Oat So Simple Protein Porridge Pot Original 49g increased from 94p to £1.56.

The average price increase for white potatoes was 14%. At Morrisons, the cost of baked potatoes increased by 63.5%.

Such increases seem to confirm worries that the poorest, including disabled people, are being affected the hardest by inflation.

According to a new report, disabled people in the #UnitedKingdom are among the most impacted by the cost-of-living crisis, with comparably low wages leaving them vulnerable to rising costs. pic.twitter.com/V982GrMnmb

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) January 14, 2023

While supermarket own-label budget goods continue to be the cheapest overall, according to Which?'s tracker, prices increased by 24.8% compared to March last year. While branded goods and premium own-brand ranges saw price increases of 13.8% and 20.5%, respectively, so did regular supermarket own brands.

Following the survey, Which? called on large retailers to guarantee that the food items from their budget range were more broadly accessible.

🚨 We’re urging supermarkets to do more to help struggling consumers and provide:

✅Access to budget ranges wherever you live

✅Clear pricing so you can work out which are the best deals

Sign our petition calling for #AffordableFoodForAll.

https://t.co/Nfltssiv4B

— Which? (@WhichUK) April 18, 2023

Our latest supermarket food and drink tracker paints a bleak picture for the millions of households already skipping meals of how inflation is impacting prices on supermarket shelves, with the poorest once again feeling the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis," Sue Davies, Which? head of food policy," was quoted as saying.

“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,” she added.

The UK's economy has been battling with record-high inflation in recent months, with many employees going on strike and protesting because their salaries are not keeping up with increasing inflation.

With inflation exceeding 10% and a rise in food and heating costs, salaries have plummeted in real terms, leaving individuals unable to pay their expenses.

The government has revealed a new proposal to discontinue the Energy Price Guarantee scheme, which will remove the government's financial support for energy bills, adding to the present strain on consumers.

Forecasts from the bank predict that the UK will be enduring 40-year-high inflation, reaching 11% during the incumbent quarter. However, Britain has already entered a recession that may last up to 2 years - even longer than what it endured during the 2008-09 financial crisis.