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Price of cheddar cheese, white bread and porridge oats soar by as much as 80%

A young woman with a basket of shopping takes a loaf of bread from a selection of many on display in a supermarket, as the cost of basic food staples including meat, bread, and dairy continue to soar in the country, at least in part as a consequence of the war in Ukraine, on 5th April, 2022 in Leeds, United Kingdom. A United Nations food agency, the Food and Agriculture Organization, reports record breaking jumps in the cost of food worldwide as its Food Price Index shows a 12.6% increase in the price of the most globally traded food commodities in just a month. (photo by Daniel Harvey Gonzalez/In Pictures via Getty Images)
UK shoppers are paying more at the supermarket as the cost of cheddar cheese, white bread and porridge oats soars. Photo: Daniel Harvey Gonzalez/In Pictures via Getty (Daniel Harvey Gonzalez via Getty Images)

The cost of food staples such as cheddar cheese, sliced white bread and porridge oats are up to 80% more expensive than a year ago.

Cheddar cheese prices increased by an average 28.3% across all the supermarkets compared to the three months to March 2022, consumer body Which? said.

The biggest increase in Which?’s basket, Dragon Welsh Mature Cheddar 180g at Asda, went from £1 to £1.80, a rise of 80% year on year.

The cost of porridge oats went up by an average of 35.5% across the eight biggest UK supermarkets compared to the same time last year.

At Ocado (OCDO.L) Quaker Oat So Simple Protein Porridge Pot Original 49g went from 94p to £1.56 — an increase of 65.5%.

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The price of large loaf of sliced white bread went up 22.8% on average. The Bakery at Asda Soft White Medium Sliced Bread 800g, went from 56p to 94p — an increase of 67%, according to Which?'s research.

Read more: UK’s cheapest supermarket revealed

Average inflation of white potatoes was around 14% across the supermarkets. At Morrisons a four pack of baking potatoes went from 40p to 66p — a 63.5% rise.

Inflation in the price of pork sausages across the eight supermarkets was 26.8% on average.

The budget range item at Asda, Just Essentials by Asda 8 Pork Sausages 454g, went from 81p to £1.40 — a 73.5% increase. The value version at Tesco (TSCO.L), Woodside Farms 8 Pork Sausages 454g, went from 80p to £1.39 — up by 73.3%.

Sue Davies, Which? head of food policy, said: “Our latest supermarket food and drink tracker paints a bleak picture for the millions of households already skipping meals of how inflation is impacting prices on supermarket shelves, with the poorest once again feeling the brunt of the cost of living crisis.

“While the whole food chain affects prices, supermarkets have the power to do more to support people who are struggling, including ensuring everyone has easy access to basic, affordable food ranges at a store near them, particularly in areas where people are most in need.

“Supermarkets must also provide transparent pricing so people can easily work out which products offer the best value.”

Read more: Inflation rate in surprise jump to 10.4% amid record food costs

The consumer group analysed inflation on more than 26,000 food and drink products at the eight supermarkets.

The figures showed that it continues to be the cheapest products which are being the hardest hit by inflation in percentage terms.

Which?’s tracker shows supermarket own-label budget items — which are still the cheapest overall — were up 24.8% in March compared with the same time last year.

This was higher than the 20.5% increase seen on standard supermarket own brands and the 13.8% on branded and premium own brand ranges.

The consumer body warned that even value foods, despite remaining a cheaper option, were at risk of becoming too expensive for those on the tightest budgets.

Watch: A tale of one city: Women and the UK cost of living crisis

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