To think prices are still going up almost weekly?

It's not just raw foodstuffs. Power and wages are increasing throughout the supply chain, factories, warehouses, distribution centres, shops, and goods need to be transported between those places (wages and carriage costs have risen). The actual cost of the raw food at the farm is usually a tiny proportion of the selling price - it's all the other costs along the way that have a "multiplier" effect.

There are two types of inflation.

Supply push is where the costs to make, move and sell the goods increases and the retail price has to increase to cover all those increases.

Demand pull inflation is where there's a lot of demand but limited supply, i.e. the housing market, so "buyers" are competing against each other to buy/rent a scarce commodity (a house) so the prices increase.

Agreed OP.

I’d be interested to understand the thinking at the more ‘premium’ supermarkets (Ocado, Waitrose) - as there’s got to be a tipping point for them at which people go elsewhere.

On the back of this thread, I just compared my lidl receipt from last weekend to one from Feb 2024.
There were only a few items that I bought which were the same (tined tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, bananas, tinned soup, baked beans and cheese)

I didnt include frsh veg as the weights are not shown so can't compare like for like.

They were all exactly the same price, except the cheese.
This was twice the price, but I may have got a larger packet, the receipt doesn't show the size.

So it doesn't feel more expensive to me.

Global instability hitting production & supply chains (i.e. Ukraine)

Poor harvests due to adverse weather - several instances

Increased population causing higher demand

Increased energy costs (imported!) hitting every step of the supply chain (factories, warehouses, shops)

Increases in minimum wage hitting every step of the supply chain (transport to factories, transport, warehouse, transport, shops), same with the stupid damaging increase in NIC!

Losses due to shoplifting that have to be paid for by all other customers

Shop loyalty/discount cards (blue light cards etc) that have to be paid for, costs spread over all shoppers.

The thing is that food prices (and others) will never come down so we need to get used to higher prices

It's a big old circle. NMW goes up which, let's face it, is the wages of an awful lot of people in the food production chain. So prices nudge up, then the government decides another NMW increase is a winner.

The consumer is being ripped off big time. I reckon inflation is running at 20% because of the rise in supermarket prices.

Luckily I'm okay for money.
I don't know what I'd do if l had to eat things l don't like or cheaper meat.. l don't like chicken legs or thighs for example.. but I've been known to make a meal out of " nothing" years ago. My Mum always said if you have potatoes and some eggs you have a meal.
A tin of Cornedbeef too.. make an hash or pasties.

My favourite yogurts are called Oykos. They used to be £2 for a pack of 4. Tesco - and other places - put them up to £2.50. Sales must have dwindled because they're a steady £2.20 now.

Not just food. WD 40 has absolutely rocketted up in price. A small can cost me £8.50 earlier. Used to be under half the price.

Ive just got my asda delivery £111 got 4 baskets.
But i think it depends on what we buy.

The price of olive oil is a direct result of a poor harvest in 2023. The forecast for the 2024 crop is looking better and prices should come down. Poultry prices are getting hit by costs associated with bird flu, labour costs and the price of feed. General costs are going up - depot workers and distribution staff can charge a premium because Brexit has made it harder to get staff. The supermarkets are operating on tight margins and they are basically now having to pass on any cost increases to customers, particularly on premium lines. The cost of doing business has increased across the board and it’ll be a while before we see prices flattening.

Shit, sorry. Autism brain makes things like sarcasm hard.

I'm really sorry!!!

Your comment is funny now I'm reading it knowing that ♥️

A lot of the products you mention are driven by harvest and supply chain issues globally: high coffee prices stem from lower production and supply chain issues in the top growing regions, and olives / olive oil are deeply impacted by rising temperatures and severe droughts of Southern Europe in the past two years. Meat being expensive is about increasing global demand as well as low profitability for farmers (and if anything, should be more expensive: farmers often make losses on meat when they need to supply supermarkets who want to sell a whole chicken for £4.)

It doesn’t make things easier for consumers, of course, but things aren’t going to get cheaper whilst producing and transporting them continues to be more expensive. How can there be a ceiling price when an ever increasing number of people across the world want more and more, and the resources to support that cost money.

Yes I did an Asda delivery today (I am at that stage when I’ve gone down to the cheapest local one - no car either) and for £113 I only got two baskets full of shopping. Nothing really expensive in there. I could swear that money would preciously have for me 3 baskets.

DH bought apple juice a few weeks ago, 99p and the next week it was £1.40

You have misread my sarcasm, I’m in agreement, food prices (at all stores) are absolutely crazy.

This seems unnecessarily antagonistic.

I don't buy organic or shop at the more "fancy" stores because I can't afford to. I do my shopping at Aldi and Tesco... I don't buy figs or olive oil and I buy chicken legs and thighs because they are cheaper.

BUT I have noticed a huge increase in costs over the last 18 months. Our food budget used to get us decent food with various proteins and even treats for the weekend.

Now, I do things like grate carrot and add oats to make a pack of mince do more meals.

Prices are going crazy accross the board, and whilst I agree it seems a bit on the nose when people complain about luxuries being expensive, it's not only them being affected.

OP's complaint is parallel to mine, even though we are clearly in financially different situations.

The COL is terrifying and the question is there, when does it stop? Is there a ceiling on these prices? It is scary not knowing in 5 years whether we will have such poverty in our own country that the majority of people can't afford basic human necessities rather than the minority.

1 in 5 people (according to stats 2 years old) are in poverty. In the UK. In supposedly a rich and privileged country.

Yes we are lucky in many ways, but each year that passes is getting harder.

I say this each time I read a thread like this. There should be a march on Westminster over the olive oil prices in Waitrose. Considering pulling my kid out of private school and stock piling the stuff, using the fees. It’s a middle class crisis. On recent occasion I’ve had to use blended olive oil, lord knows why more aren’t campaigning, stop what you are doing and write to your MPs.

www.companyshop.co.uk/membership

Do you have a company shop card? I get ocado chicken from there at half price... and freeze loads.. all breasts.