Food prices skyrocketing again!

I'm in the USA and our grocery prices are terrible right now. We've all been comparing egg prices because of the bird flu. Here in the DC area a dozen eggs (battery, not organic) are $5, but apparently in CA they are almost $9. Boneless thighs (not the cheapest but not organic) are $5.59/lb. Salaries here are higher, but prices have gone up much more quickly than our wages.

I've just had a long holiday in Australia. The COL is better there than in the UK! Petrol is much cheaper. You can get a bottle of wine from the supermarket for £2. Eating out is cheaper.

I was in the USA last year. Yes, the huge cities are expensive, but if you go to a non-tourist town, things are cheap, and they have loads of happy hours and offers. For eg. we had a meal out for 4 people, and at least 10 cocktails each, and the bill was £140. Try doing that, for £35 a head in the UK.

Thing is many people won’t have any money left after mortgage/rent,utilities and food now,that’s if they can afford them anyway,people won’t be buying new clothes ,furniture for example,where one gains another loses,our weekly food shop is ridiculous,aldi isn’t cheap anymore,their quality isn’t worth the price.

Well quite, it’s Sainsbury’s this week!

Before Covid it was ~ £150 pw (not incl top up).

I do price control in a supermarket. All the increases that we have come down rom HO are massive. Not just 5p, 10p but 30p, 40p 50p increases 😭 Food shopping is very much still going up.

It’s not all imported. Seasonal U.K. veg are available everywhere, but if you prefer e.g. sugar snap peas or baby sweetcorn, of course they’ll have been flown in.

Only because back in the late 80s early 90s there as a philosophy that you should pay sky high salary to CEOs etc to get the ”best people”. Thus pay in certain sectors rose exponentially out of proportion to others lower down the same sector and also to other professions like doctors, head teachers etc.

The result though isn’t particularly better performance - just overpaid Paula Vennells.

That seems an astronomical amount of money. But probably mine is close to that for 2 if I factor in all the silly dribs and drabs and top ups.

Yes, things have gone up. I notice people are talking about chocolate, mini eggs, pizza. No judgement but I feel that is a change in my eating habits. The junk is cheap and filling. Pack of hot cross buns £1.00. Decent fruit £4.00.

Definitely. Waitrose bill hit £210 last week - normally ~ £180 for 3 (+ midweek top up)

Food is going to be the least of everyone's worries - water bills (mine going up 31%). Council tax will be the big one though ☹️

I’ve noticed this, especially on dairy. Double cream up from £1.20 now £1.50 in last two weeks. Butter now cheapest is £2 where two weeks ago it was £1.69. I shop at Tesco and Ocado and both are the same.

Def noticed a hike whenI went to get things the other day. Just left them

The profits are small based on their turnover. In 2024, they earnt £227 million profit on revenue of £32,700 million. That's tiny.

Chocolate - that is a well known problem called climate change

Fresh fruit and veg - yes this time of year it's all imported - and a lot of it from countries affected by climate change

Orange juice has shocked me in tesco. Gone from £4 for 4, to 1.75 each and £1.05 for the cheaper brand. Its also more expensive than apple juice for the first time I can remember so I wonder if a supply issue is related.

Why? it's actually not that high for this level role and all responsibilities it involves. Or do you want him to be paid proverbial £100k? He pays his income and other taxes.

Oh, and one more - those ones not happy about shareholders profits. Do you realise that each one of us with private pensions (I have no knowledge of public sector pensions) are most likely to own some shares of Tescos, Sainsbos etc? that the main shareholders of FTSE100 are pension funds? so if you want your pensions to grow, at least at the same level as inflation, then you really want these business to make a lot of profit.

Yes I have noticed increases in our groceries too, and not just a few pennies here and there, big jumps +20p, makes a huge difference on our weekly shop. I do think it will get worse too, with the amount of theft and the NMW & NI increases. A friend of mine works in a supermarket, she said leavers haven’t been replaced for sometime, so more pressure on remaining staff.

I noticed it straight after Xmas - suddenly every item was at least 10-15p more than when I'd last done a proper shop. Maybe they thought we'd not notice so much after all the irregular shopping we'd done during the holidays. It's depressing af.

They've done it because of the NI on employers contribution I would hazard.

Exactly what I was going to mention

Kitkats in a multi pack are now almost the same size as original fun size bars.

Yes I was surprised before Christmas, needed butter and I was in town where the easiest option was the big M&S. I was expecting to pay more than our usual Tesco own brand which was £2 at the time for 250g, but it was only £1.70 I think for same amount. I stocked up!

I had my Asda order delivered yesterday. Without the delivery cost (£1.50), I ordered the minimum which is £40. I received seven items for that.

When I first lived alone, yes, six years ago tbf, I'd get a 'proper' full shop for that including fresh stuff and brand names. This time was washing capsules, dishwasher tablets, three ready meals, shampoo and spray cleaner.

The past couple of weeks I've noticed lots of price increases.

That cheap chocolate you mentioned op, I always buy for baking...it used to be about 30p...it's now over a £1...may as well buy branded stuff.