British staples such as cheddar cheese, white bread, and porridge oats have soared in price over the past 12 months, according to the latest inflation figures from Which?.
Inflation across the board for food and drink at supermarkets has seen a sustained rise in March to 17.2 per cent - this is up from 16.5 per cent the month before, according to the watchdog. Meanwhile, cheddar cheese price increased by an average 28.3 per cent across Britain's eight major supermarkets: Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury's, Tesco, and Waitrose.
The consumer group performed an analysis of inflation on more than 26,000 food and drink products at the eight supermarkets and zoned in on staple foods such as cheddar cheese, slice white bread, pork sausages, white potatoes, and porridge oats. As a result, they recorded that everyday products are among those that have seen the biggest price hikes.
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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 of how inflation is impacting prices on supermarket shelves, 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.”
How different British staples have risen in price
The cost of porridge oats increased by an average of 25.5 per cent across all eight supermarkets when compared to the same time last year. The highest inflation on porridge oats was at Ocado where Quaker Oat So Simple Protein Porridge Pot Original 49g went form 94p to £1.56 - an increase of 65.5 per cent.
Meanwhile, 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.
For white potatoes, average inflation hit around 14 per cent with a four-pack of baking potatoes at Morrisons soaring from 40p to 66p - a rise of 63.5 per cent. Pork sausages saw an average rise of 26.8 per cent across supermarkets.
Asfa's Just Essentials budget range of eight sausages soared by 73.5 per cent - from 81 p to £1.40 - while Tesco's value Woodside Farms pack of eight went from 80p to £1.39 with a 73.3 per cent increase. According to Which?'s tracker, supermarket own-label budget items still remained the cheapest overall.
However, they saw an increase of 24.8 per cent in March, compared to the same time last year.
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