Poorest hit hardest as budget groceries prices surge amidst inflation crisis

Hard-up shoppers relying on budget groceries during the cost of living crisis are bearing the brunt of inflation, according to the latest Which? supermarket food and drink tracker.

The report found that the overall inflation rate of supermarkets was 15.9% in January 2022, compared to the same month in the previous year, but the prices of value items that make up the supermarkets’ most basic ranges rose by 21.6%.

This means that while basic ranges will still generally offer lower prices, people relying on the cheapest food at the supermarket are being hit disproportionately by inflation compared to those who buy premium or branded foods.

Among the budget groceries experiencing the most significant price rises are muesli, which went from £1.20 to £2.25 at Sainsbury’s (up 87.5%), tins of sliced carrots, which went from 20p to 33p (up 63%) at Tesco, and pork sausages, which rose from 80p to £1.27** (up 58.2%) at Asda.

Which? analysed inflation on over 25,000 food and drink products at eight major UK supermarkets, including Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.

The tracker compares average prices across the same three-month and one-month periods year-on-year, including discounts but not multibuys or loyalty card offers. It shows rates of inflation overall as well as by supermarket, product category and range.

Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco have all responded to the findings, with each retailer emphasising their commitment to offering low prices.

An Asda spokesperson said, “we’re working hard to keep prices in check for customers despite global inflationary pressures, and we remain the lowest-priced major supermarket”.

Sainsbury’s stated that it is “working hard to keep prices low” and has “invested over £550m by March 2023 into lowering prices as part of our goal to put food back at the heart of Sainsbury’s”.

Tesco highlighted its focus on value, stating that it is “absolutely committed to helping our customers, by keeping a laser focus on the cost of the weekly shop”.

Aldi has said the figures Which? is reporting are inaccurate, a spokesperson said: “We are working hard to shield shoppers from industry-wide inflation, and our promise to our customers is that we will always provide the lowest grocery prices in Britain.”

“That’s why Which? named us as the cheapest supermarket in 2022 and why it has again confirmed that we were the lowest-priced in January 2023 as well.”

The Which? said its supermarket food and drink tracker includes tens of thousands of products across the eight major supermarkets, and it highlights rates of inflation overall, by supermarket, product category, and range.

The tracker is an essential tool for customers who want to compare prices across the UK’s major supermarkets, and it offers valuable insights into the impact of inflation on consumers.

[Table: Which?]