Cost of living: The most popular branded foods that have soared in price over the last two years
Some of the UK’s most popular branded foods have soared in price over the last two years – with a range of items now costing double, according to new research.
An investigation by Which? looked at 79 branded items, comparing prices at six major supermarkets (Asda, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose) over a 30-day period from 21 September to 20 October in both 2020 and 2022.
Aldi and Lidl were not included in the study because they did not have enough comparable items.
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Out of the items on their shopping list, Heinz Tomato Ketchup – the squeezy top down one (460g) – saw the biggest average percentage increase overall, going up by 53% (91p) across the six retailers.
However, in one retailer it had gone up as much as 70%, an increase of £1.06.
The second biggest average percentage increase on the branded products included in Which?’s list was on Dolmio Lasagne Sauce (470g) which went up by 47% or 61p across the six supermarkets in the two years.
In one supermarket, the price increased by as much as 107% – or £1.09.
One of the biggest leaps took place with branded butter. Anchor Spreadable butter tub 500g went up by £1.31 (45%) on average across all six supermarkets over the two-year period.
Meanwhile, Lurpak spreadable slightly salted tub 500g saw an average increase of £1.17 (35%).
The spread hit the headlines earlier this year after it was found a pack costs more than £7 in some supermarkets.
Twinings of London Everyday 100 Tea Bags had the sharpest individual increase in absolute terms at one supermarket – an extra £2.33 (64%) in 2022 compared to the base price in 2020. Across the six retailers the tea bags went up on average 64p (17%).
But branded products are not alone in seeing price rises – the price of low-cost everyday goods increased 17% in the 12 months to September, more than the average rate of food and drink inflation.
The figures, based on web-scraped supermarket data for 30 everyday grocery items, showed the cost of items had already increased 7% in the year up to April.
Over the past year, tea went up by 46%, chips by 39%, bread by 38%, and biscuits by 34%.
Overall, grocery inflation sits at 14%, with households facing a £643 hike in their average annual bill.
Sue Davies, Which? Head of Food Policy, said: “Our research shows the shocking rate of inflation on some of the nation’s favourite branded foods, which is much higher than the national average, and highlights why it is so important for retailers to provide people with a choice of product ranges.
“Supermarkets must ensure budget lines for healthy and affordable essential items are widely available across their stores including smaller convenience stores. Promotions should be targeted at those most in need and people supported so they can easily compare the price of products to get the best value.”
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It comes as data found last month that millions of households were skipping meals or struggling to put healthy food on the table.
Around 85% of people in the UK are spending less on food shopping as a result of the cost of living squeeze, most commonly by looking out for items on promotion, research by consumer group Which? suggests.
Among the 9% who said they are finding it “very difficult” to get by, half said their household was skipping meals, as did a quarter of those who are finding the current situation quite difficult.
See which prices have gone up or down with Sky’s spending calculator. The latest inflation figures are due to be released tomorrow. which could see a further rise in household favourites.
The 30 branded products with the biggest price rises:
Heinz Tomato Ketchup Sauce – Top Down 460g (53%)
Dolmio Lasagne Sauce 470g (47%)
Heinz Classic Cream Of Chicken Soup 400g (46%)
Dolmio Bolognese Original Pasta Sauce 500g (46%)
Anchor Spreadable Butter Tub 500g (45%)
Heinz Cream Of Tomato Soup 400g (44%)
Colman’s Classic Mint Sauce 165g (44%)
Colman’s Horseradish Sauce 136g (44%)
Batchelors Super Noodles Bbq Beef Flavour 90g (43%)
Hovis Granary Wholemeal 800g (43%)
Sharwoods Butter Chicken Simmer Sauce X 420g (39%)
Cravendale Semi Skimmed Milk 1000ml (38%)
Sharwoods Balti Cooking Sauce 420g (38%)
Sharwoods Korma Sauce 420g (38%)
Lurpak Spreadable Slightly Salted Tub 500g (35%)
Hellmann’s Real Squeezy Mayonnaise 750ml (35%)
Muller Corner Vanilla & Banana Chocolate Balls & Flakes 6x130g 780g (34%)
McCain Home Chips Straight Cut 1000g (34%)
Birds Eye 10 Original Potato Waffles 567g (33%)
Green Giant Salt Free Naturally Sweet Sweetcorn 198g (30%)
Dr. Oetker Ristorante Mozzarella Pizza 335g (30%)
Birds Eye Frozen Garden Peas 375g (28%)
Cathedral City Extra Mature 350g (26%)
Walkers Cheese & Onion Crisps 6X25g 150g (26%)
Pukka Pies All Steak Pie 209g (26%)
Magnum Almond Ice Cream 4 x 100ml 400ml (26%)
Hovis Soft White Thick Bread Loaf 800g (24%)
McVities Biscuits Ginger Nuts 250g (22%)
Hovis Soft White Medium Bread Loaf 800g (22%)
Cif Power And Shine Bathroom Cleaner Spray 700ml (22%)
Sir Keir Starmer has joined other European leaders in Kyiv to press Russia to agree an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
The prime minister is attending the summit alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, recently-elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
It is the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled to Ukraine at the same time – arriving in the capital by train – with their meeting hosted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz travelling in the saloon car of a special train to Kyiv. Pic: Reuters
Leaders arrive in Kyiv by train. Pic: PA
It comes after Donald Trump called for “ideally” a 30-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, and warned that if any pause in the fighting is not respected “the US and its partners will impose further sanctions”.
Security and defence analyst Michael Clarke told Sky News presenter Samantha Washington the European leaders are “rowing in behind” the US president, who referred to his “European allies” for the first time in this context in a post on his Truth Social platform.
“So this meeting is all about heaping pressure on the Russians to go along with the American proposal,” he said.
“It’s the closest the Europeans and the US have been for about three months on this issue.”
Sir Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron among world leaders in Kyiv. Pic: AP
Trump calls for ceasefire. Pic: Truth Social
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies are ready for a “full, unconditional ceasefire” for at least 30 days starting on Monday.
Ahead of the meeting on Saturday, Sir Keir, Mr Macron, Mr Tusk and Mr Merz released a joint statement.
European leaders show solidarity – but await Trump’s backing
The hope is Russia’s unilateral ceasefire, such as it’s worth, can be extended for a month to give peace a chance.
But ahead of the meeting, Ukrainian sources told Sky News they are still waiting for President Donald Trump to put his full weight behind the idea.
The US leader has said a 30-day ceasefire would be ideal, but has shown no willingness yet for putting pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin to agree.
The Russians say a ceasefire can only come after a peace deal can be reached.
European allies are still putting their hopes in a negotiated end to the war despite Moscow’s intransigence and President Trump’s apparent one-sided approach favouring Russia.
Ukrainians would prefer to be given enough economic and military support to secure victory.
But in over three years, despite its massive economic superiority to Russia and its access to more advanced military technology, Europe has not found the political will to give Kyiv the means to win.
Until they do, Vladimir Putin may decide it is still worth pursuing this war despite its massive cost in men and materiel on both sides.
“We reiterate our backing for President Trump’s calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace,” they said.
“Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace.”
Sir Keir and Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in March. Pic: AP
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The leaders said they were “ready to support peace talks as soon as possible”.
But they warned that they would continue to “ratchet up pressure on Russia’s war machine” until Moscow agrees to a lasting ceasefire.
“We are clear the bloodshed must end, Russia must stop its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognised borders for generations to come,” their statement added.
“We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine.”
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The European leaders are set to visit the Maidan, a central square in Ukraine’s capital where flags represent those who died in the war.
They are also expected to host a virtual meeting for other leaders in the “coalition of the willing” to update them on progress towards a peacekeeping force.
Military officers from around 30 countries have been involved in drawing up plans for a coalition, which would provide a peacekeeping force in the event of a ceasefire being agreed between Russia and Ukraine.
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
This force “would help regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces after any peace deal and strengthen confidence in any future peace”, according to Number 10.
A special constable has been jailed after taking pictures on his phone from bodycam footage showing a dying man.
Former police volunteer William Heggs, 23, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment at Leicester Crown Court on Friday after showing the photos of victim William Harty, 28, to a female colleague and storing them on his Snapchat account.
Mr Harty was found seriously injured in a residential street in Leicester on 25 October 2021 and Heggs had attended the scene, helping with CPR before paramedics arrived.
Mr Harty died in hospital a day later and the man responsible for his injuries, his brother-in-law Martin Casey, was subsequently convicted of his manslaughter.
Heggs showed the pictures he had taken of bodycam footage of Mr Harty’s body to a Leicestershire Police constable, who reported Heggs and said she did not like seeing blood.
His phone was seized and officers discovered other photographs and video clips of bodyworn footage of incidents Heggs had attended on duty, including of a knife seizure, use of baton and pepper spray, and a man with an injured hand receiving first aid.
He also took pictures of a police computer screen, showing details of crimes and suspects, without consent.
Heggs stored the materials in a Snapchat folder and disclosed graphic details – most of which were not in the public domain – about the injuries to a woman who was killed in a road traffic collision he had attended, to a friend on the social media platform.
Heggs was suspended from the force in November 2021 and resigned in October 2024 before pleading guilty to 11 computer misuse and data protection offences this March.
William Harty’s widow Mandy Casey. Pic: PA
‘He has traumatised me’
Mr Harty’s widow, Mandy Casey, said in a victim impact statement read to the court that Heggs “took (her) husband’s dignity when he was most vulnerable”.
“You don’t take someone’s dignity and pride from them on their deathbed.”
She continued: “When I found out special constable Heggs had done this, I just wanted to ask why. He has traumatised me. I feel I will never know if he showed them to others.”
Ms Casey said she was still scared that photos of her husband’s body might appear on social media.
She added that she had lost trust in the police.
Public trust in police ‘significantly undermined’
Judge Timothy Spencer told Heggs, who has autism and ADHD, that he was “probably too immature to be working as a police officer” as he handed down the sentence.
He said Heggs had received “extensive training”, including on the importance of data protection, and knew he should only share materials for “a genuine policing purpose”.
Heggs’s actions had “significantly undermined” public trust and confidence in police, according to the judge.
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Malcolm McHaffie, from the Crown Prosecution Service, added: “William Heggs abused the public’s trust in the office he held as a special police constable.
“He violated the dignity of the deceased victims for no apparent reason other than what could be considered personal fascination and to gain credibility among his peers.”
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