Supermarket food costs soar - what does it mean for your shopping basket
The prices of some budget food items have risen more than 15%, with household staple pasta showing the biggest rise of all at 50%


Households are now dealing with disproportionately high price rises for certain budget food items including pasta, crisps and bread, according to new data from the government.
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) produced experimental data for the first time (opens in new tab) that shows prices for some everyday low-cost food items have increased at a much faster rate than inflation of 9%, in the 12 months to April 2022.
The price of pasta rose the most with an increase of 50% from a year ago - this is more than five times the rate of inflation.
Meanwhile, there were also above-average-inflation-price-rises for other household staples such as crisps (up 17%), bread (16%) and rice (15%). There were other rises for meat-eaters: minced beef (up 16%) and chicken breast (up almost 9%).
The ONS pulled together the new data after the food campaigner Jack Monroe claimed the poorest households would struggle more due to bigger increases in the price of budget brand items. The research was done by tracking the price of the lowest-cost products available online (opens in new tab) from seven big-name supermarkets - Asda, Iceland, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, the Co-op and Waitrose.
However, despite these individually shocking rises, the ONS research showed the overall inflation rate for a shopping basket of 30 everyday items was around 6% - this is around the same as the 6.7% average inflation rate for food in the last year.
Monroe said the figures backed up her claims about value brands in supermarkets:
The @ONSfocus @ONS have released new data today tracking the price rises of the lowest-cost grocery items over the last year, and - backing up my own research and evidence from January - the hikes in the value brands and basics have been much higher than average inflation stats..May 30, 2022
Meanwhile, some staple items showed a fall in price such as potatoes (down by 14%), cheese (7%), pizza (4%), and sausages (3%).
How the price of low-cost food items has changed between April 2021 and April 2022
Pasta | up 50% |
Crisps | up 17% |
Bread | up 16% |
Minced beef | up 16% |
Rice | up 15% |
Sausages | down 3% |
Chips | down 3% |
Pizza | down 4% |
Cheese | down 7% |
Potatoes | down 14% |
Sarah Coles, senior personal finance analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown says: “The overall figure [of 6%] disguises massive differences in the figures. Of the 30 items counted, six of them got cheaper over the year, while five of them saw inflation of 15% or more. Some of the fastest rises were among carbohydrate staples like pasta that are incredibly difficult to manage without.”
In response, Sainsbury’s has announced it will invest more than £500m into lower pricing by March 2023 as part of a long-term plan focused on value, focusing on essential items, such as milk, eggs, meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, and key household products.
Meanwhile, Tesco launched its Better Baskets scheme with items having logos on them to help customers spend less and includes over 200 of their cheaper Aldi Price Match items and Low Everyday Prices budget food range.
The Money Edit has tips on how to save money when food shopping, such as using food waste apps, tracking down hard-to-find coupons and timing your visit to the supermarket.
Myron Jobson, senior personal finance analyst at interactive investor, says it’s important to remember that every shopping basket is different. “We all have our own inflation number, and it is worth keeping tabs on your spending habits to get a better idea of the goods and services that are eating most into your budget, and where you could cut back as the cost of living continues to surge. Look at what makes sense for you – not an arbitrary measurement from anyone else.”
Rising inflation means the price of everything is soaring. We also have other ideas to cut your bills as inflation rises.
Additional reporting by PA
Katie is staff writer at The Money Edit. She was the former staff writer at The Times and The Sunday Times. Her experience includes writing about personal finance, culture, travel and interviews celebrities. Her investigative work on financial abuse resulted in a number of mortgage prisoners being set free - and a nomination for the Best Personal Finance Story of the Year in the Headlinemoney awards 2021.
-
-
How to find cheap flights
Ever got on a plane and wondered if you’ve paid more for your ticket than the person next to you? Here’s how to bag the cheapest flights every time.
By Sue Hayward • Published
-
Energy bills predicted to go up - should you switch to a fixed price energy tariff?
With energy prices forecast to rise by 51% this autumn, we look at whether it's worth switching to a fixed tariff and what to do next
By Kalpana Fitzpatrick • Published
-
The £150 disability cost of living payment: who will get it and when?
Six million disabled people will get £150 as part of the Chancellor’s £15 billion cost of living support package. Here’s what you need to know about the £150 disability payment and when it will be paid.
By Sue Hayward • Published
-
How to contest a will
There will be times when contesting a will is the right thing to do. But how do you go about challenging the contents of a will?
By Sue Hayward • Published
-
National Insurance: What’s happening in July and what does it mean for your pay packet?
Millions of workers can expect an income boost from 6 July as the change to the National Insurance threshold comes into force. We explain what it means for you
By Sue Hayward • Published
-
Should you buy extended warranties?
Which? brands extended warranties ‘worthless’ - we explain why it’s not worth paying for them when buying gadgets and electrical goods
By Sue Hayward • Published
-
How to cut working from home costs
With many of us now working from home for at least part of the week, we highlight the simple steps you can follow to save money when working from home
By Ruth Jackson-Kirby • Published
-
Flight cancellations: what are your refund rights?
Strikes by airline workers look set to cause a summer of flight cancellations and chaos at airports across the country. We explain your rights, how to claim a refund and compensation
By Ruth Emery • Published
-
Inflation hits 9.1% - what it means for you
Prices hit 40-year high, adding more pressure to household budgets as food, energy and fuel costs continue to go up
By Kalpana Fitzpatrick • Published
-
What is travel insurance and why you need it
Planning a holiday? Travel insurance is a crucial safety net to protect against something going wrong with your trip. Here’s our guide on everything you need to know about getting the right cover for you
By Katie Binns • Published