On average, UK households spend around £5,283 for a year on groceries but this could increase by £275 unless people change what they buy.
Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Worldpanel, formerly known as Kantar, said current food inflation brought to mind the sort of prices people were paying in supermarkets after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
The cost of energy and commodities soared before easing in 2023. But Mr McKevitt said: “We’re back up on that rollercoaster.”
Chocolate, butter and spreads as well as fresh meat recorded the sharpest rises in the four weeks to 17 July, according to the company, which monitors prices on 75,000 identical products.
At the same time, the cost of dog food, sugar confectionery and laundry dropped.
Mr McKevitt said most people have options when it comes to managing food costs such as buying more own-brands goods from supermarkets, looking for promotions or going to cheaper shops.