Grocers accused of Eccles cake rip-off

SUPERMARKETS have been accused of arbitrarily increasing the cost of Eccles cakes by the biggest maker of the currant-filled pastries.

Lancashire Eccles Cakes, which supplies grocers across Britain, said that some retailers had increased the price by 25pc even though there had been no rise in production costs. It did not name the businesses. It said the price rises, and falling consumer spending on treats to eat at home as the pandemic ended, led to them selling fewer cakes for the year ending May 31 2022. Profits fell from £6.9m to £6.3m.

Suppliers can recommend a retail price but that shelf price is set by the shops.

The Lancashire Eccles Cakes company is headquartered in Manchester and run by the Edmonds dynasty, who have been involved in the production of Eccles cakes since the 1930s.

The origin of the pastry, named after the town of Eccles now part of Greater Manchester, is said to stretch back three centuries. It does not have any protected geographic status, such as the Cornish pasty.

The company said it had eventually persuaded the supermarkets that had raised prices to share some of this increase.