The supermarket staples that have soared in price this year - from cheese, milk and eggs to lemonade and chicken nuggets

The price of staple food items has risen as high as 52 per cent in the past 12 months as grocery inflation continues to surge in the UK.

Figures released on Tuesday (May 2) revealed food prices soared by 15.7 per cent - the highest on record - in April, according to the latest BRC-NielsenIQ shop price index. This increased from 15 per cent in March. Fresh food prices increased by a record 17.8 per cent year-on-year for the month while the price of tinned goods and other store-cupboard items increased 12.9 per cent.

Now, new figures have shown how the average price of food and drink items has risen over the past year. The price of cucumber has hiked the most, now 84p, up 52 per cent from 55p last year.

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Olive oil, hard cheese, and cheddar cheese have all risen by at least 42 per cent, while crumpets and wholemeal sliced bread have increased by 27 per cent.

The data has been published by the Office for National Statistics and is based on the Consumer Prices Index including owner-occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH). This is a different measure to the usual inflation figures based on the CPI (Consumer Prices Index). CPIH is a more comprehensive measure of consumer price inflation, as it includes the costs associated with owning, maintaining and living in your own home.

The list has been ordered by percentage increase starting with the largest, and reads from left to right: name of item, average price in March 2022, average price in March 2023, percentage increase.

Here are the 25 food and drink items which have seen the biggest increase in the past 12 months:

1. Cucumber £0.55 £0.84 52%
2. Olive oil £3.87 £5.78 49%
3. Hard cheese £6.92 £9.98 44%
4. Cheddar cheese £6.53 £9.29 42%
5. Granulated white sugar £0.73 £1.04 42%
6. Semi-skimmed milk £0.96 £1.33 39%
7. Iceberg lettuce £0.55 £0.77 39%
8. Cook-in sauce £1.26 £1.75 39%
9. Baked beans £0.76 £1.05 39%
10. Whole milk £1.23 £1.70 38%
11. Lemonade £0.69 £0.93 35%
12. Frozen chicken nuggets £1.79 £2.41 35%
13. Broccoli £1.70 £2.27 34%
14. Eggs £2.42 £3.19 32%
15. Frozen breaded/battered white fish £3.90 £5.13 32%
16. Frozen beef burgers £2.49 £3.28 32%
17. Mayonnaise £1.48 £1.96 32%
18. Soft cheese £8.45 £11.03 31%
19. Butter £1.81 £2.36 30%
20. White sliced bread £1.07 £1.38 29%
21. Small yoghurt £0.64 £0.82 28%
22. Pork loin chops with bone £6.35 £8.12 28%
23. Crumpets £0.78 £0.99 27%
24. Wholemeal sliced bread £1.10 £1.40 27%
25. Ice cream £2.52 £3.19 27%

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