According to the Office of National Statistics, the Inflation rate for food and non-alcoholic was 17.4% as of June 2023.
The Office of National Statistics also found that close to half (48%) of adults in Great Britain said they were buying less food when shopping and rising food costs were the most commonly reported reason among the 60% of adults who said their cost of living had risen in the previous month and around 1 in 20 adults said they had run out of food and could not afford more.
Living costs affect everyone; some daily food products have risen more than others. Below I include food items in my weekly shopping list, how much they have risen in price since last year and some helpful ways to save amongst the many price increases. It should be noted I am vegetarian, so meat products are replaced with meat-free substitutes.
Average Food Cost Now VS 2022
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Product
Average Price
Price Last Year
Price Change
White sliced bread
£1.35
£1.13
20%
Plain Biscuits
£1.28
£1.08
19%
Butter
£2.26
£2.05
10%
Breakfast cereal (non-chocolate coated)
£2.26
£2.11
7%
Meat Free Sausages
£2.36
£2.15
10%
Milk Chocolate Bar
£0.83
£0.73
15%
Instant Coffee
£3.33
£3.05
9%
Teabags (80)
£2.47
£2.24
10%
Multipack Crisps
£1.73
£1.41
23%
Cheddar Cheese
£9.47
£7.35
29%
Whole Milk
£1.62
£1.37
18%
Bananas
£1.15
£0.93
24%
Small Oranges
£2.78
£2.62
6%
Carrots (/kg)
£0.74
£0.55
34%
Cucumber (each)
£0.82
£0.59
39%
Iceberg Lettuce (each)
£0.78
£0.61
28%
Tomatoes (/kg)
£3.19
£2.92
10%
Peppers (/kg)
£1.03
£0.84
23%
Frozen Vegetable Burgers
£2.28
£2.05
11%
White Potatoes (/kg)
£0.73
£0.61
19%
Cook-in sauces
£1.97
£1.39
41%
Fruit Juice
£1.26
£0.99
26%
Fizzy Drink
£1.74
£1.52
14%
Baked Beans
£1.04
£0.84
24%
Canned Tomatoes
£0.73
£0.55
31%
Sugar
£1.11
£0.73
54%
Pasta
£1.03
£0.97
6%
Total Price:
£51.34
£43.38
18%
As you can see from the table, my weekly shop for everyday goods came to £51.34, which is £7.96 more than last year, an increase of 18%.
A rise of 18% is an incredibly high number for most of us, especially when combined with energy bills and travel cost increases.
Reduced Sections
Sadly, there isn’t much we can do about the rising cost of food, but what I can do is aid you in making the most of your money and saving as much as you can. The most obvious advice I can give you is to shop in the reduced section as much as possible, perfectly good food is added to reduced sections every single day in big supermarkets, sometimes up to 80% off.
To make the most of these deals, shopping later in the evening, usually, an hour or so before a store closes, yields the best results, as many of the products that didn’t sell earlier in the day are added to the reduced shelf. We have an article on shopping in the reduced section if you want to know more about saving with reduced section food. We also have a general article explaining how to save on groceries.
Save with money-saving food apps
Many apps can help you make the most of your money and food at home. Here are some great options to help you save money and manage your home food stock.
OLIO
OLIO is a revolutionary app transforming how we approach food waste and community sharing. We are all in the same boat, and people getting together to share food and goods in times of need fosters a sense of community while actively combatting waste. OLIO is user-friendly and designed to make the world a better place, one shared item at a time. Whether you’re looking to save money, reduce waste or connect with others, OLIO is the tool to help achieve this.
TooGoodToGo
TooGoodToGo is another game-changing app that impacts the fight against food waste. This ingenious platform connects users with local restaurants and stores to rescue unsold food that would otherwise go to waste. TooGoodToGo allows you to buy bundles of delicious food at a fraction of the original cost, all while helping the planet. If you’re a food lover, bargain hunter or green energy advocate. You need TooGoodToGo
Karma
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’d like to offer another suggestion for a food sustainability app. Like other food apps in this article, Karma allows users to liberate high-quality, unsold food from stores and restaurants at a reduced price. Saving money and helping the environment is always a win-win. That’s why these apps are becoming so popular. Why throw away good food?
No Waste
No Waste is an app empowering individuals to take control of their fridges. The app allows users to track, organise and manage their household food, helping to reduce waste and save money. With features like expiration reminders, shopping lists and consumption statistics, No Waste makes it easy to plan meals and use food more efficiently. It even has a barcode scanner. to update your home food stocks while unpacking so, you know which foods to eat first.
Hopefully, this article has provided information on the current cost of living crisis and ideas on how to combat it. If you’re looking for ways to save on everything from clothing & food to travel and holidays, check out one of our amazing discount codes from some of your favourite brands.
I started at MyVoucherCodes as a Deal Expert, sourcing top deals and discount codes. I combined these skills with my passion for writing to become an Editor, helping readers save money. As a former student and homeowner, I understand the need to budget and provide shopping tips, especially for vegetarian and vegan diets. I've also written for publications like The Sun, My Weekly, iPaper and Pick Me Up!
I play video games, write reviews for GameReport in my spare time, and love trying out the latest tech gadgets. I also enjoy DIY projects, having worked in a tool store and renovated my home on a budget.
