The cost of several budget food staples have increased over the past year - with a bag of pasta seeing the steepest increase in price.
According to The Office For National Statistics (ONS), the cost of a 500g bag of pasta has increased by about 50% from 36p in April 2021 to 53p in April this year.
Wales Online reports the ONS looked at the price of 30 low cost grocery items and found that 10 of the items had increased by at least 10%.
Some of the price increases includes a 150g packet of crisps that has increased by nearly 17% from 71p to 83p, while an 800g loaf of bread rose from 47p to 54p (16%).
Other household staples such as minced beef, rice, biscuits and orange juice have also seen a jump in prices. However, some everyday items have actually seen a reduction in their prices, including potatoes with a massive drop by 14%, as well as pizza, cheese, chips and sausages.
It comes as the cost of living crisis continues to see households grappling with rising costs, as The ONS reported a 9% rise in the rate of inflation in April. One area that has seen a stark increase has been the cost of food on supermarket shelves, which was recently highlighted by poverty campaigner Jack Monroe.
Reacting to the ONS report on Twitter, Monroe said it backed up her own research showing that “the hikes in the value brands and basics have been much higher than average”. In cash terms, the largest average price rise was measured for beef mince, which went up by 32p for 500g to £2.34, followed by 600g of chicken breast, which increased by 28p to £3.50.
The ONS also found some evidence of so-called 'shrinkflation', with product sizes reducing but costing the same. It also noted that the value ranges of certain products represented a substantial saving for a shopper compared to the next lowest-priced equivalent item.
For over two-thirds of the staples included, the cost of buying the second-cheapest version would have been 20% more expensive. Some supermarkets have previously faced criticism for apparently removing their value ranges from the shelves.
Lowest price of groceries, April 2021 and April 2022:
Item // Price (pence) in April 2021 // Price (pence) in April 2022 // Price change (%)
- Pasta 500g // 36 // 53 // 50%
- Crisps 150g // 71 // 83 // 17%
- Bread 800g // 47 // 54 // 16%
- Beef Mince 500g // 202 // 234 // 16%
- Rice 1000g // 80 // 92 // 15%
- Biscuits 400g // 39 // 45 // 14%
- Fruit Juice (Orange) 1000ml // 63 // 72 // 14%
- Mixed Frozen Vegetables 1000g // 78 // 89 // 14%
- Fruit Squash 750ml // 44 // 49 // 12%
- Breakfast Cereal 500g // 69 // 76 // 10%
- Chicken Breast 600g // 322 // 350 // 9%
- Vegetable Oil 1000ml // 164 // 178 // 9%
- Baked Beans 400g // 29 // 31 // 7%
- Tomato Ketchup 460g // 58 // 61 // 6%
- Fish Fingers 250g // 75 // 77 // 3%
- Onions 1000g // 65 // 67 // 3%
- Ham 200g // 160 // 164 // 2%
- Tomatoes 400g // 64 // 65 // 2%
- Tea 125g // 86 // 88 // 2%
- Yoghurt 500g // 54 // 55 // 2%
- Bananas 5 pack // 73 // 74 // 1%
- Instant Coffee 100g // 134 // 135 // 1%
- Granulated Sugar 1000g // 66 // 67 // 1%
- Milk 4 pints // 126 // 127 // 0%
- Apples 6 pack // 96 // 94 // -1%
- Sausages 454g // 87 // 84 // -3%
- Chips 900g // 119 // 116 // -3%
- Pizza 300g // 99 // 95 // -4%
- Cheese 255g // 95 // 88 // -7%
- Potatoes 2500g // 87 // 75 // -14%
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