By James Rodger
Copyright birminghammail
Anyone shopping at Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, and Sainsbury’s has been issued a warning over buying chocolate, butter and eggs. F ood prices have risen at their fastest pace for 18 months amid surges in the cost of chocolate, butter and eggs, latest figures show. The food inflation figures mean Tesco , Asda , Morrisons , and Sainsbury’s risk higher bills at the till. Inflation rose to 4.2% this month from 4% in July, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC)-NIQ Shop Price Monitor. It marked the highest level since February 2024. Fresh food inflation sped to 4.1% for the month on the back of rising dairy prices, up from 3.2% in July. READ MORE Drivers in England face new midday to 8pm ban from September 21 Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, said: “Shop price inflation hit its highest rate since March last year, fuelled by food price rises. This adds pressure to families already grappling with the cost of living. “Retailers continue doing everything they can to limit price rises for households, but as the Bank of England acknowledged, the £7 billion in new costs flowing through from last year’s budget has created an uphill battle for retailers.” More than 60 retail bosses, including chiefs at Tesco, Sainsbury’s and others, warned Labour Partt Chancellor Rachel Reeves last week that raising taxes further in the autumn budget could contradict her plans to improve UK living standards. The latest official figures from the ONS put UK inflation – as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) – at 3.8%, up from 3.6% in June. Looking over the longer term, the picture is even more stark. In the five years to July, food prices increased by around 37%. That compares with a rise of 4.4% over the previous five-year period. Mike Watkins, head of retailer and business insight at NIQ, which compiles the BRC’s shop price monitor, said the uptick reflected “several factors”. These included global supply costs, seasonal food inflation driven by weather conditions and a rise in underlying operational costs. “As shoppers return from their summer holidays, many may need to reassess household budgets in response to rising household bills,” he added.
