Does anyone think that grocery prices have gone up?

[JoeySpecial]

I know we are in uncertain times, but the supermarkets must be raking it in!

My weekly shop has gone up so much!

The just in time method used particularly effectively by UK supermarkets relies on accurate forecasting of future need and having a supply chain set up to meet that need.
An unexpected surge in demand combined with fewer staff and transportation difficulties causes havoc with that model.
It is the most effective model to get cheap food but means there aren't warehouses full of pre-bought food.
Supply chains take time to set up and supermarkets aren't in a position to negotiate the very cheapest deals when they have empty shelves.

Prices for us have definitely gone up. It looks like a combination of far fewer deals/offers, including some things that used to always be on offer but now aren’t at all (I don’t remember the last time I paid full price for deodorant or Belvita, for example) and some prices just simply going up. In addition, us not shopping around different supermarkets, just getting everything in the one shop even if some items might be cheaper/on offer elsewhere. DP and I input all of our itemised shopping receipts onto a spreadsheet, so I know for a fact this is true for us 😅

Thanks @Gronky but we’re on 12 week lockdown so can only order online

Food in the UK has been extremely cheap. Cheap foreign workers, cheap imports, cheap transport. A significant portion of the world’s borders are closed and its population under lockdown. Cheap food is gone for the foreseeable future. The range will get more limited, and more seasonal, and prices will rise. This is inevitable even without any supermarket profiteering.

Well I must be lucky where I shop then (an Aldi) , as when I went yesterday, prices were as they always are.

I spent more as am now having to feed us all at home 100% of the time whereas I wold normally not see my adult son for 60 - 70% of meals; dd has school dinners; dh is often not home for several meals a week ; I occasionally grab lunch out. But in terms of prices of things I have bought, my Aldi certainly hasn't changed anything.

DH works for a supermarket (logistics) and there are rumours staff will be a bonus of 10% of weekly pay when this is over - £70 for him.

I hope all Supermarket staff are given some kind of a bonus, considering how hard they are working, how much abuse they are getting and how much they are putting themselves at risk - it isn't physically possible to be 6 feet or more from anybody who is packing their trolley or paying for their shopping.

I agree the cost of my weekly shop has increased but surely that is because we are all at home all day. So more tea, more coffee, lunch taken at home, more loo roll used even as none of us are going to work.

I've noticed on Ocado that their base prices are the same, but they don't have their 'buy 2 for £2' deals and so on.

Yes I said this last week, it's disgusting. Small local shops have gone even more crazy with their prices. Some people must be absolutely panicked right now, not just those who have lost a job but those who used to just scrape by.

Not so much gone up but there are much fewer offers so almost everything is full price.

I have spent more but like others have said I think it's due to lack of availability of cheaper products, no multi-buys (for obvious reasons) and having to buy more due to having lunch etc. at home. Also not shopping around - I used to go to Aldi (cheap) and Sainsburys (nearer and stuff Aldi doesn't sell) - now it's just Sainsburys.

I live on my own and my work has a good, cheap canteen so I often have a cooked lunch then just a 'snack' like beans on toast in the evening. Now I'm cooking everything at home I'm using much more food.

Although the supermarkets are selling more, they'll have higher costs due to all the extra staff they've hired. On the other hand the drop in fuel prices should reduce distribution costs.

MY little local village shop has put a notice up saying that he's increased some prices because wholesale prices have increased. He's also having to use different suppliers due to shortages, e.g. he's sourced eggs from a local farm. He has been busier but I doubt he's making much more money. I suspect that some of his stock used to come from Tesco (in fact, I know because I've seen him in there!) and obviously restrictions mean he can't do that any more.

Food is going to be more expensive.

But also the most people are buying more food because most people are now at home, all the time so more meals are being made at home.

For example we a family of 5 where DH and 3 DC would have lunch at work or school those meals are now being made at home, we not eating out or having take outs. So that's additional 20 lunches a week plus probably eat out/take out 2 times a month so that 10 meals. So I now have to buy food for say 30 more meals, plus extra fruit and snacks/crisps.

I'm in NZ. The only shops open are supermarkets, pharmacies and corner shops. The government has set up a dedicated email address for the reporting of price gouging - and in her daily Facebook live feeds, Jacinda Ardern has specifically told people to take photos of receipts & send them in. Apparently, cauliflowers are the most-reported item 😂

Prices are definitely up here, too, whether you're buying cauliflowers or not.

Local farm shop here sells cauliflower for 3.25!!!!!