16 July 2023 , 23:01
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Cakes have risen – and not in the good way, as supermarkets charge nearly three times the price they did two years ago for some treats.
A pack of Mr Kipling Bakewell Slices that would have cost an exceedingly good £1 at Sainsbury’s in June 2021 were up to £2.75 last month.
The same brand’s Chocolate Slices were also just £1 at Tesco two years ago but have now soared to £2.59.
Prices have more than doubled for some staples, too, with Morrisons ’ Free From Gluten Free Oats an average £2.75 in the three months to the end of June, up from £1.20 in the same period in 2021.
Which? looked at prices of more than 21,000 items over the two time periods at Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.
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A pack of Mr Kipling cakes have jumped in price (Publicity Picture)The consumer watchdog found overall prices across the eight chains have gone up by 25.8%. But shoppers on tight budgets have been hit hardest as “value” lines have increased by 37.1%.
Many of the major supermarkets have recently cut costs of everyday essentials such as milk and bread – but these products are still more expensive than they were two years ago.
Own-label British semi-skimmed milk was £1.45 for four pints in almost all the retailers last week – 25% more than the £1.10 it was two years ago.
Own-brand medium-sliced wholemeal bread is up by a third on average,from 58p to 75p for an 800g pack.
Sue Davies of Which? said: “Our research shows why recent headline-grabbing price cuts of a few pence simply won’t be enough to help people struggling to put food on the table.”
Which? has been calling on supermarkets to sell value ranges in their local convenience stores after it found they were available less than 1% of the time in smaller Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons outlets.
This is despite two thirds of those with a household income under £21,000 shopping in these sites at least once a week.
Morrisons has now committed to stocking its Savers range in 500 Daily shops and Which? is calling on others to follow its lead.
It comes as the Competition and Markets Authority prepares to publish its review into whether the costs of groceries are clearly and fairly displayed in supermarkets.
Helen Dickinson of the British Retail Consortium said: “The hard work being done by retailers to absorb cost increases means the UK offers among the cheapest grocery prices in Europe.”
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