Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SLICED BREAD COSTS A LOT MORE DOUGH
Weather hits wheat and potato harvest
BREAD and butter is more expensive with sliced loaf prices up nearly a tenth on this time last year. Crumpets, bananas and even frozen chips also cost more in supermarkets now than 12 months ago and the situation is unlikely to improve soon, experts warn. Recent cuts and promotions helped to bring down the average cost of Christmas dinner but now prices are rising for our shopping staples.
Bread and bakery products were hit, mainly because of the weather, according to food industry trade journal The Grocer. Last year’s hot summer led to the smallest wheat crop since 2012. Price rises for a sliced loaf average 2% but the cost of Hovis bread went up by 4% and Kingsmill by 8%. Butter prices have gone up 2%.
Last summer’s heatwave and the Beast from the East storms earlier in the year delayed potato planting, which led to a shortage and drove prices higher.
It is expected that the potato shortage will continue until the summer. Frozen chips are among the worst-hit products, with a 1.5kg bag of Mccain’s Crinkle Cut Chips up 23p to £2.90.
Fish prices are 5% higher, thanks to falling quotas on some species to prevent overfishing. Banana prices are up, with 1kg of Fairtrade bananas at Sainsbury’s now 83p, up from 78p this time last year.
James Webster, at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, said: “The UK wheat crop is expected to be the smallest since 2012-13. Drought was a significant issue.”
Hans Asmyhr at the Norwegian Seafood Council said: “Prices for whitefish are at an all-time high as the quotas are down.”