Meat prices at Britain’s largest supermarkets have risen by almost a third in a year, according to newspaper reports.
The cost of the most popular cuts of lamb, beef and pork has gone up by an average 31 per cent over the last twelve months, despite inflation dropping to a 49-year low of 0.1 per cent.
According to the Daily Mail, Fresh pork has seen the biggest rise, up 19 per cent on average from last year, followed by beef (up 17 per cent) and lamb (up 9 per cent).
At Tesco, a 500g pack of Fat Free British Pork Mince has risen by 59 per cent in a year, from £1.28 to £2.00, while the price of lamb chops at Asda is up from £7.00 a kilo to £9.99 – a rise of 43 per cent.
A half shoulder of lamb from Sainsburys is now 34 per cent dearer at £4.98, while Sainsbury’s British Pork thin Cut Loin Steaks are up by 54.6 per cent to £8.38 a kilo.
Food industry magazine The Grocer said the weak pound, delays in the effect of falling commodity prices and last summer’s poor weather are largely to blame for food price inflation.
” Supermarket prices in February have risen 1.3 per cent since last month and remain 15.4 per cent higher than this time last year.”
“Much of the inflation is still due to the high commodity and oil prices of last year, as prices take a long time to filter through the system, especially for goods with longer shelf lives.”
“Another issue for the UK, especially in the fresh produce category, is the collapse of the pound against the euro and the dollar.”
It added that this has resulted in more British meat being exported to Europe, creating pressure on supplies and forcing up prices for UK shoppers.
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