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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Can you easily absorb a 20% rise in your grocery bill?

418 replies

AbsentmindedWoman · 20/10/2020 21:15

I am worried about this, predicted to come early next year. I moved abroad last year but have people I love in the UK, some are budgeting very tightly already, and there's nothing I can suggest when they are worried.

I find it really troubling. Surely this is going to be the straw that breaks the camel's back for quite a few people who are coping with limited money? It could mean the difference between being able to get by and being stuck?

Would a 20% increase in food prices be difficult for you, or just a pain in the arse?

Is there any way a price hike can be avoided?

OP posts:
Cam77 · 20/10/2020 21:55

Brexit with no deal will mean 40% on EU products. Wine, salad, pasta etc. I hope you brexiteers are ready for that.

I’m not sure they really thought things through beyond a love of Boris, Farage, Mogg and one on the nose for the foreigners.

Youandmeareluckytobeus · 20/10/2020 21:56

I could stand a 20% increase, although I wouldn't want to and appreciate many people would struggle if food did go up by that much. I really don't believe it will happen though anyway.

GladAllOver · 20/10/2020 21:56

Blame the mugs who voted for brexit, and the liars who made false promises.

LittleLapwing · 20/10/2020 21:57

Pretty much everyone can just eat less.
People eat loads.
Yes it’s not ideal but half portions won’t kill you. It’s not the end of the world.

goisey · 20/10/2020 21:58

I can absorb the extra 20% but I've already noticed food costs going up so I think it will be more like 30%.
I'm planning of going 99% veggie in the new and only buying meat on the rare occasion from the farm shop.
I'm going to be eating a lot more 'clean' making my own food from scratch, I want to minimise my body from all of the crap the USA are going to flog us.

goisey · 20/10/2020 21:59

@LittleLapwing

Pretty much everyone can just eat less. People eat loads. Yes it’s not ideal but half portions won’t kill you. It’s not the end of the world.
Pretty sure 1/2 portions for most people for life will kill them.
MushMonster · 20/10/2020 22:00

I think our weekly shopping has already gone up steadily since lockdown, and not due to getting all meals at home. That may have been a factor at the beginning, but not now.
More increases will mean we will not eat out or take aways, so affecting an industry that is already suffering.

RufustheSniggeringReindeer · 20/10/2020 22:02

We can cut down...and it will probably be good health wise for dh and i

But I’ll still be pissed and my children will struggle. Which will make me even more pissed

Original poster
AbsentmindedWoman · 20/10/2020 22:04

@LittleLapwing

Pretty much everyone can just eat less. People eat loads. Yes it’s not ideal but half portions won’t kill you. It’s not the end of the world.
That is shockingly dismissive towards people who have already pared back their grocery spend and are living on sparse meals already.

Really distasteful. There are already parents who regularly skip multiple meals so they can ensure their child eats.

OP posts:
KenDodd · 20/10/2020 22:06

Yes.
I didn't vote for any of this shit show though and will never forgive those that did.

ListeningQuietly · 20/10/2020 22:06

I am finding the posts on this thread utterly shocking and complacent

Brighterthansunflowers · 20/10/2020 22:06

I can’t afford a 20% rise but Im lucky that I could change and cut back on what I buy to keep the actual amount spent roughly the same.

Obviously I’m aware lots of people already make do with the minimum they can and it’s very worrying how big the impact is going to be

throwaway100000 · 20/10/2020 22:08

Probably not long term, no. I think most people could afford a one off increase, but would alter their shopping list if this becomes a regular occurrence

Cam77 · 20/10/2020 22:09

Imagine voting for something that is probably going to effectively carve 20% off your salary. Which is exactly what will happen unless the Big Player player which, has relatively little to lose caves in to the little player which has a lot to lose.

I’m sure Call me Al will be along shortly to reassure us that Brexit is still a wonderful idea.

SarahBellam · 20/10/2020 22:12

We can, but we’ve changed how we eat since lockdown. Less meat, more pulses - lentils, chickpeas and the like. I was a vegetarian for 4 years so I love it. The rest of the family are less keen 😂

coffeeforone · 20/10/2020 22:14

I didn't vote for any of this shit show though and will never forgive those that did.

This - can afford it, but it would mean less takeaways. I know plenty who will struggle to absorb it though.

aprilanne · 20/10/2020 22:17

We would just have to eat in season and british food
We will not die because we cant get french cheese German sausage and any other food from eu
Yes it will be different but we will adapt

TracyBeakerSoYeah · 20/10/2020 22:17

Friends & I have noticed that many products have gone up by 5p - 15p & much less 3 for 2 offers. (Though bizarrely there are few products that have gone down by a penny or 2)
There also seems to be more yellow stickered items in our Sainsburys & Coop. Aldi's prices in our area have shot up too.
Funnily enough the person who moans the most about food prices increasing & probably increasing more after Christmas is the friend who voted for Brexit.
She gets a very hard stare & then she changes the subject.

Original poster
AbsentmindedWoman · 20/10/2020 22:21

@aprilanne

We would just have to eat in season and british food We will not die because we cant get french cheese German sausage and any other food from eu Yes it will be different but we will adapt
The UK cannot feed itself independently.
OP posts:
KitKatastrophe · 20/10/2020 22:21

We could afford it.
More likely we would cut our shopping Bill's by 20% which would be manageable. It would mean fewer treats - no chocolate in the evening, DH would have to have digestive biscuits instead of fancy biscuits and I would probably have to get cheaper lunch fillings. That sort of thing. It could be done.

But we are lucky in this regard. Many people are only just able to afford to get by as it is. Any if people like me start buying cheaper stuff, there won't be enough cheap stuff to go around.

I've started buying extra packs of treat items when they're on special offer, and storing them under the stairs in case of this eventuality.

oakleaffy · 20/10/2020 22:22

@GladAllOver

Blame the mugs who voted for brexit, and the liars who made false promises.
THIS
Silvergreen · 20/10/2020 22:23

@aprilanne

We would just have to eat in season and british food We will not die because we cant get french cheese German sausage and any other food from eu Yes it will be different but we will adapt
We aren't able to produce even remotely enough food to feed the population.
TicTacTwo · 20/10/2020 22:24

It won't be easy but I will absorb it because I have to. SadAngry

YouBringLightInToADarkPlace · 20/10/2020 22:25

Thanks to covid redundancy and maternity leave we probably would struggle... not really sure which corners I'll cut, already seem to have thinned it out to as cheap as we can make it...

KitKatastrophe · 20/10/2020 22:25

@aprilanne

We would just have to eat in season and british food We will not die because we cant get french cheese German sausage and any other food from eu Yes it will be different but we will adapt
What sort of fruit is seasonal in the UK in January to April?

Also I'm not worrying about dying because I can't get German sausage, but it will affect my quality of life. Not dying isnt the only reason to not want to do something. Also I'm worried about running out of all meat in the supermarkets because there is far less food in general. Or are british farmers suddenly doing to increase their output by 300%?