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.
The latest on the cost of living
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.”
Read more on the cost of living:
Kate Winslet covers £17k energy bills for Scot mum
Coping with childhood cancer in a cost of living crisis
Price of a pint up 9% in a year
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%)
A teenage girl who was killed after getting out of a police car on the M5 in Somerset has been named.
Tamzin Hall, 17 and from Wellington, was hit by a vehicle that was travelling southbound between junction 24 for Bridgwater and junction 25 for Taunton shortly after 11pm on Monday.
She had exited a police vehicle that had stopped on the northbound side of the motorway while transporting her.
A mandatory referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which is now carrying out its own investigation into what happened.
Read more from Sky News:
Who could replace Gary Lineker on Match Of The Day?
How do Labour avoid the Democrats’ fate?
Avon and Somerset Police said: “Our thoughts and sympathies go out to Tamzin’s family for their devastating loss.
“A specially-trained family liaison officer remains in contact with them to keep them updated and to provide support.
“The family have asked for privacy at this difficult time.”
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
The police watchdog, the IOPC, has been asked to investigate.
In a statement, director David Ford, said: “This was a truly tragic incident and my thoughts are with Tamzin’s family and friends and everyone affected by the events of that evening.
“We are contacting her family to express our sympathies, explain our role, and set out how our investigation will progress. We will keep them fully updated as our investigation continues.”
Paramedics attended the motorway within minutes of the girl being hit but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The motorway was closed in both directions while investigations took place. It was fully reopened shortly after 11am on Tuesday, Nationals Highways said.
A survivors group advocating for women allegedly assaulted by Mohamed al Fayed has said it is “grateful another abuser has been unmasked”, after allegations his brother Salah also participated in the abuse.
Justice for Harrods Survivors says it has “credible evidence” suggesting the sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated at Harrods and the billionaire’s properties “was not limited to Mr al Fayed himself”.
The group’s statement comes after three women told BBC News they were sexually assaulted by al Fayed’s brother, Salah.
One woman said she was raped by Mohamed al Fayed while working at Harrods.
Helen, who has waived her right to anonymity, said she then took a job working for his brother as an escape. She alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted while working at Salah’s home on Park Lane, London.
Two other women have told the BBC they were taken to Monaco and the South of France, where Salah sexually abused them.
Mohamed al Fayed. Pic: AP
The Justice for Harrod Survivors representatives said: “We are proud to support the survivors of Salah Fayed’s abuse and are committed to achieving justice for them, no matter what it takes.”
The group added it “looks forward to the others on whom we have credible evidence – whether abusers themselves or enablers facilitating that abuse – being exposed in due course”.
More from Sky News:
Ex-Fulham captain makes Al Fayed allegation
Timeline of accusations against ex-Harrods boss
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Salah was one of the three Fayed brothers who co-owned Harrods.
The business, which was sold to Qatar Holdings when Mohamed al Fayed retired in 2010, has said it “supports the bravery of these women in coming forward”.
A statement issued by the famous store on Thursday evening continued: “We encourage these survivors to come forward and make their claims to the Harrods scheme, where they can apply for compensation, as well as support from a counselling perspective and through an independent survivor advocate.
“We also hope that they are looking at every appropriate avenue to them in their pursuit of justice, whether that be Harrods, the police or the Fayed family and estate.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Bianca Gascoigne speaks about Al Fayed abuse
The Justice for Harrods Survivors group previously said more than 400 people had contacted them regarding accusations about Mohamed al Fayed, who died last year.
One of those alleged to have been abused is Bianca Gascoigne, the daughter of former England player Paul.
Speaking to Sky News in October, Gascoigne said she was groomed and sexually assaulted by al Fayed when she worked at Harrods as a teenager.
UK
Wes Streeting ‘crossed the line’ by opposing assisted dying in public, says Labour peer Harriet Harman
Wes Streeting “crossed the line” by opposing assisted dying in public and the argument shouldn’t “come down to resources”, a Labour peer has said.
Speaking on Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Baroness Harriet Harman criticised the health secretary for revealing how he is going to vote on the matter when it comes before parliament later this month.
MPs are being given a free vote, meaning they can side with their conscience and not party lines, so the government is supposed to be staying neutral.
But Mr Streeting has made clear he will vote against legalising assisted dying, citing concerns end-of-life care is not good enough for people to make an informed choice, and that some could feel pressured into the decision to save the NHS money.
He has also ordered a review into the potential costs of changing the law, warning it could come at the expense of other NHS services if implemented.
Baroness Harman said Mr Streeting has “crossed the line in two ways”.
👉 Click here to listen to Electoral Dysfunction on your podcast app 👈
“He should not have said how he was going to vote, because that breaches neutrality and sends a signal,” she said.
“And secondly… he’s said the problem is that it will cost money to bring in an assisted dying measure, and therefore he will have to cut other services.
“But paradoxically, he also said it would be a slippery slope because people will be forced to bring about their own death in order to save the NHS money. Well, it can’t be doing both things.
“It can’t be both costing the NHS money and saving the NHS money.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Review into assisted dying costs
Baroness Harman said the argument “should not come down to resources” as it is a “huge moral issue” affecting “only a tiny number of people”.
She added that people should not mistake Mr Streeting for being “a kind of proxy for Keir Starmer”.
“The government is genuinely neutral and all of those backbenchers, they can vote whichever way they want,” she added.
Read more on this story:
‘Fix care before assisted dying legislation’
Why assisted dying is controversial – and where it’s already legal
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously expressed support for assisted dying, but it is not clear how he intends to vote on the issue or if he will make his decision public ahead of time.
The cabinet has varying views on the topic, with the likes of Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood siding with Mr Streeting in her opposition but Energy Secretary Ed Miliband being for it.
Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband is said to support the bill. Pic: Reuters
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has concerns. Pic: Reuters
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is being championed by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater, who wants to give people with six months left to live the choice to end their lives.
Under her proposals, two independent doctors must confirm a patient is eligible for assisted dying and a High Court judge must give their approval.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Labour MP Kim Leadbeater discusses End of Life Bill
The bill will also include punishments of up to 14 years in prison for those who break the law, including coercing someone into ending their own life.
MPs will debate and vote on the legislation on 29 November, in what will be the first Commons vote on assisted dying since 2015, when the proposal was defeated.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports7 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Environment1 year agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway