Supermarket excessive price increases not in line with inflation of 3or4%

Those increases seem excessive Harmonypuss. Have you tried to contact Asda for some sort of explanation?

I shop in Morrisons having changed from Sainsbury's but I have noticed prices getting steadily higher and sometimes not so steadily higher over the last year or so. Not sure why. Covid?? Brexit?? Fuel costs?? Greed??

You should look at Jack Monroe on twitter as she has only yesterday commented on the astronomical rise in basic necessities. It's horrific.

This mum goes to Aldi. Big bag of food last weekend for about £45. Enough supplies for a hot evening meal for a week. Veg, meat, aplenty.

Yesterday in Iceland I was looking for a ball of mozzarella. The shelf label marked it at 70p, though there were still some in date at 50p - a mark up of 40%. I was not charged the higher price but was told it’s not the only supermarket doing this at present.

I am still working so not on as stringent a budget, but I agree the prices have risen far higher than the official inflation rate.

I see even the basic potatoes, apples and milk seem to have risen much higher. I don't have data to back it up though, since I can't remember what I paid for those items at this time last year.

I have little brand allegiance so shop for the cheapest on most products. It may be cheaper to buy loose fruit? I don’t have animals, but I imagine there are cheaper alternatives in pet food too.
I realise that’s not the point Harmonypuss I think there may still be supply issues, haulage costs, fuel costs, shipping etc.

I remarked to my husband today how prices on the shelves have shot up. Significant price rises which is not fair because shops were open throughout lockdown. Unlike other businesses who lost out on incomes and eventually closed down.
We are fortunate not to be on a strict budget but our young family are as are other people. Every domestic bill has risen which leaves less for food shopping. I imagine food banks are going to expand considerably to cater for people struggling on even lower incomes.

Inferior quality pet food is not good for animals though Jaxjacky, that’s one thing most pet owners will be very loath to compromise on. At the moment, it seems to be specific items which are increasing in price, so I’ve been buying alternatives for us - but not trading down the dog food!

As I said Casdon we don’t have pets, so I’ll defer to those that do.
There will be other rises, BT have announced there’s one in the pipeline, I expect others will follow.
I don’t know about other countries, other than car fuel and food has increased in France.

My hairdresser appears to think after each lockdown she can increase a wash, cut and blow-dry by a fiver each time. I have gone elsewhere.

Before Christmas I paid £35 for both feet at a local chiropodist but now it is £40.

My usual loaf of bread has increased by 50p-it is never ending.

Casdon

Inferior quality pet food is not good for animals though Jaxjacky, that’s one thing most pet owners will be very loath to compromise on. At the moment, it seems to be specific items which are increasing in price, so I’ve been buying alternatives for us - but not trading down the dog food!

Humans are usually happy to look for alternative brands but dogs and cats will often turn up their noses if they don't get their usual food!

I have noticed an overall increase in prices but I do always look to see what's on offer when I shop online.

We don't have a dog any more as we probably couldn't afford the extortionate vet's bills I hear about from family members who do have pets

Aldi’s gin has gone up 30p since last week? ?

Oh no!!!

What do you think is the principal cause of those rises?

Kali2

What do you think is the principal cause of those rises?

There is a world shortage of juniper berries because there has been a decline in the European juniper berry production couple with an increased demand.

LOL, I was talking about in general- not just gin ;)

Plenty of juniper berries where I live- I foraged quite a lot- prickly work.

Being discussed now on Question Time.

Being discussed now on Question Time

What - gin or price increases in general?

I couldn't face any more tonight (QT etc, not gin).

The little packs of shortbread fingers in Morrison's have gone from 49p to 60p - not an essential but I like them, and it's still cheaper than making shortbread, but it's a big jump. I work in a different supermarket and everything across the board seems to be rocketing.

Because I don't work, I do have time to visit 2 or 3 different stores to attempt to get the best value for my money but then I also have to factor in my travel costs which, with fuel costs rising, is also becoming more expensive.
Fortunately, my dog isn't too fussy about his food but ever since I had him as a puppy, he's been on a Royal Canin breed specific food which doesn't come cheap but I believe he deserves it and I try to bulk it out a little with Harrington's and now that he's middle-aged he has Glucosamine tablets for his joints which he refuses to take unless they're hidden in some wet food, so supermarket own-label does a good enough job for that.
After I'd paid the inflated prices in Asda I did pop into Sainsbury's for a few bits and saw that their tinned dog food was £3.00 and Harrington's was £8.50, so I was kicking myself for not waiting and buying there, but if I'd not been physically up to going to another store I wouldn't have had the food for his tablets.
Some people have said, and will say that I could buy cheaper alternatives but I'm on my own with him, I don't have any vices, so give the dog the best I can and I know he is getting the best because my vet comments on his fantastic condition every time we see her.
But no, this wasn't only about dog food, that was just the biggest price hike I saw on this trip to the store, its ludicrous how anyone will be able to live with all these price hikes when salaries/benefits etc either aren't increasing at all or by such tiny percentages that any extra cash in our pockets gets swallowed whole (and much more on top) by the most essential things like food and basic utilities.
The way things are going, I'll soon not be able to put the lights on or cook food for fear of not being able to pay for the electricity, I've already gone through what we've had of a winter so far without turning any heating on because it's so blooming expensive, it's just a good job I've got plenty of jumpers, blankets and the dog to keep me warm.

I suppose we have got used to low inflation. Can remember when inflation was really high, ( the 70’s or 80’s?) and groceries seemed to increase in price on a weekly basis.

Yes I remember Casdon. So many factors feed into price rises - transport (fuel costs, increase in drivers’ wages, shortage of shipping containers), shops’ and manufacturers’ overheads (wage rises, energy prices, rent and business rates rises), shortages of products to mention just a few. Add up the increases at each point in the supply chain and it’s easy to see how prices in shops rise by more than one might expect.

Sorry, Calendargirl not Casdon.

It was interesting what Jack Monroe posted yesterday regarding inflation for the hoi polloi in real terms. Maybe worth a google? (I have to go to work)

I don't notice many special offer deals in supermarkets these days either. There used to be loads of BOGOF offers but not now. I needed a new tyre last week. That was £20 more than usual. Can't get the stock apparently so the price goes up.