Price of chicken is set to rival beef

As production costs rise, a shock for shoppers

The era of cheap chicken could be coming to an end as its price starts to rival that of beef, experts warned yesterday.

The price of poultry is set to skyrocket further in the coming months due to the higher cost of chicken feed.

Ukraine and Russia normally export tens of millions of tons of grain and sunflower seeds, used in chicken feed production, but this has been disrupted due to the war.

The UK’s largest chicken supplier 2 Sisters said price inflation of 15 per cent will be needed ‘to even begin to cover the increasing cost of production’ of the poultry.

The Office for National Statistics recorded a 19 per cent rise in the price of chicken between March 2020 and March this year.

Steve Murrells, chief executive of The Co-operative Group, said: ‘Chicken could become as expensive as beef. The chicken industry has particular challenges because of the feed costs.’

Speaking at The Retail & eCommerce directors’ forum, he said customers might switch to other meats or vegan alternatives. ‘Customers will have to be savvy about what they can afford,’ he added. Bargain chicken can still be bought for about £3 a bird in most supermarkets, while a kilogram of beef is usually at least three times the price, with fillet steak around £30 a kilogram.

But in Marks & Spencer, organic free-range chicken breasts and organic British beef rump steak are both £24.15 a kilogram. Restaurants and takeaways specialising in chicken have increased their prices in recent months. Ten wings with two sides at Nando’s has risen from £14.95 to £16 since November.

Supermarkets said last week the cost of groceries is rising at the fastest rate in 11 years.