Supermarket favourites soar in price as inflation bites

TEATIME treats including Mr Kipling cakes, Heinz Spaghetti Hoops and Birds Eye potato waffles have rocketed in price by up to 146 per cent in the past year, according to the latest supermarket price watch.

While chains are keeping many popular products on special promotions, others have seen their shelf price soar.

The latest Grocer 33 survey, in which the The Grocer trade magazine looks at 33 bestselling food and drink products, shows the biggest annual hike has been on Mr Kipling Angel Slices.

This time last year an eight pack cost £1.42 at Asda. Now it costs £3.50, a rise of 146 per cent. Sainsbury’s charges £3.45 for the pack, a 138 per cent hike on the £1.45 it charged 12 months ago.

Birds Eye potato waffles at Morrisons have gone up 57 per cent from £1.50 to £2.35 and Heinz Spaghetti Hoops are up 59 per cent at Waitrose from 37p to £1 which includes a “25p off ” promotion.

Of the 33 products, which range from own-label milk to PG Tips teabags, a third are on special offer so that the overall price of the shopping basket of goods has gone up 13.3 per cent over the past year compared with a general grocery inflation rate of 17.1 per cent.

But budget-conscious consumers may have to shop around to avoid skyhigh bills at the checkout.

Deals on Ben’s Original Rice, Philadelphia soft cheese and Surf laundry detergent mean they all cost less than they did 12 months ago.

The Grocer said: “With one-third of items on promotion, it’s perhaps not surprising that the 13.3 per cent annual inflation on this week’s Grocer 33 basket was below the overall rate, but some of the price hikes were eye-watering.”