Shoppers forced to spend extra £133 a year on their groceries as food prices rise after Brexit
The weaker pound means butter is a fifth more expensive than a year ago, fish is up 14 per cent and instant coffee also rising
SHOPPERS are having to spend £133 a year extra on groceries as food price rises bite.
Food inflation has hit 3.4 per cent, retail analyst KANTAR WORLDPANEL revealed in its monthly report.
Butter is a fifth more expensive than a year ago, with fish up 14 per cent and instant coffee also rising.
It was known food prices were on the up, as a weak Pound after last June’s EU referendum has made imports more expensive.
But the figures show how hard the hikes are now hitting the average shopper.
It has helped sales at the top supermarkets reach their highest since 2012.
Over the 12 weeks to June 18, they grew by five per cent year on year, compared with a 0.2 per cent fall in the same period 12 months before.
Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, said: “Butter and fish fans will be feeling price increases most keenly.
"Butter is almost 20 per cent more expensive than last year while farmed salmon supply issues have been among the factors contributing to a 14 per cent rise across fresh and tinned fish.”
MOST READ IN NEWS
Food is rising higher than prices in the wider economy. General inflation hit 2.9 per cent in May.
Britain’s biggest supermarket TESCO had a 3.5 per cent sales rise over the 12 weeks, its fastest since April 2012.
MORRISONS was up 3.7 per cent, SAINSBURY’S 3.1 and ASDA 2.2. But LIDL had 18.8 per cent growth, just ahead of the 18.7 for ALDI.
Figures from Kantar’s rival analysts NIELSEN show shoppers spent four per cent more on groceries over four weeks to June 17, compared with the same period in 2016.