Tesco blames costs for raising the price of over 1,000 items

 Tesco has put up the price of more than 1,000 items in two weeks, including household staples such as pasta, rice and cheese.

Prices rose by an average of 11 per cent in the first two weeks of July, according to internal documents.

The branded items with the biggest rises include Cathedral City Mild Cheddar up 57 per cent to £5.50 for 550g, 20-packs of Carlsberg lager up a third from £9 to £12; Ferrero Rocher chocolates up from £1 to £1.25 and a 5kg bag of Salaam basmati rice now £9 versus £7 previously – a rise of 29 per cent. The highest price rise was for Merchant Gourmet Puy lentils, up from £1.42 to £3.60 a pack – up 152 per cent.

A weak pound is thought to be partly to blame for the squeeze as it increases the cost of importing goods.

Tesco said it was due to cost pressures hitting the entire market and pointed out that over the last three weeks, prices were cut on 121 items by 24 per cent on average, including ownbrand coconut milk, down 55p to 90p.