Food prices soar by 8.3%

The price of a weekly shop has risen 8.3 per cent since the beginning of the year, according to research.

Meat and fish have soared 22.9 per cent since January while fresh fruit and vegetables are up 14.7 per cent.

Some items have gone up by more than 40 per cent.

Researchers found a pack of four croissants was up 47.4 per cent, bolognese pasta was up 46.2 per cent, 125g of ham was up 45.4 per cent, and skinless chicken breasts were up 42.6 per cent.

Basmati rice has gone up up 42.1 per cent, a medium whole chicken up 41.9 per cent and a 400g jar of mayonnaise 40.6 per cent.

The survey comes after high street data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed the rocketing rate of food inflation slowed markedly last month.

The BRC said food inflation posted its lowest monthly rise for five months to hit 10 per cent in August. The month-on-month rise was 0.3 per cent, down from 1.9 per cent in July and the lowest since March's no-change reading.

But the high cost of food is far exceeding the official rate of inflation, with the Consumer Prices Index, which includes shop goods, energy and fuel costs, at 4.4 per cent.

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