Food and drink inflation in supermarkets surges 17.2% in March
Supermarket own-label budget items were up 24.8% in March compared with the same time last year
Overall food and drink inflation in supermarkets rose 17.2% in March, up from 16.5% last month, according to data from Which?.
The price of porridge oats increased 35.5% across Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose compared with last year.
Alongside this the price of cheddar cheese rose 28.3% on average and white bread increased an average of 22.8%, meanwhile, pork sausages increased by an average of 26.8% across the eight supermarkets.
Which? said Asda’s Just Essentials range skyrocketed 73.5% to £1.40 and Tesco’s value Woodside Farms 73.3% to £1.39.
Supermarket own-label budget items were also up 24.8% in March compared with the same time last year. This is more than standard supermarket own brands, which were up by 20.5%.
In contrast, branded goods and premium own-brand ranges meanwhile were both up 13.8%.
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.”