Supermarket price tracker: 114 value range items got more expensive last month - biggest price hikes revealed

Almost three-quarters of the budget value range items on UK supermarket shelves have got more expensive over the last seven months.
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UK supermarkets continued to hike prices on value range grocery items last month, with shoppers faced with rises of up to 86% on over 100 items including staples such as cheese, chicken, jam and sausages.

NationalWorld has been tracking prices for over 750 value range items across Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons and Aldi since April, with massive price increases recorded across the stores’ cheapest food, drink and household cleaning products in that time.

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Between the first Monday of October and November, we were able to take a price snapshot of 615 items (the others were unavailable, with no prices listed), finding 114 of these (19%) had seen price rises during that time. Only 12 items went down in price, while 17 had had price rises imposed on them for at least the second month running.

Since April, 72% of value range products have become more expensive, at a time when the ongoing cost of living crisis has seen energy bills, mortgages, and rents rising alongside the cost of the weekly food shop.The average price rise for those items that got more expensive in October was 11%. But six products saw price rises of at least 30%, including a pack of Greek style salad cheese which went up by 86%, from 70p to £1.30.

Here we will reveal the biggest price rises at each supermarket, and how they have compared for price increases over the last seven months. You can keep up to date on our supermarket value range news here.

What brands are included?

NationalWorld’s research covers more than 750 grocery products from the value ranges at each supermarket.

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At Asda these were the Smart Price and Farm Stores brands, which have been largely replaced with a new range called Just Essentials. Aldi meanwhile has an Everyday Essentials line – although many products that are not part of this specific range have a price point similar to budget line items at other supermarkets –  while Morrisons is home to Morrisons Savers.

Almost three-quarters of the budget value range items on UK supermarket shelves have got more expensive over the last seven months. (Image: NationalWorld/Mark Hall)Almost three-quarters of the budget value range items on UK supermarket shelves have got more expensive over the last seven months. (Image: NationalWorld/Mark Hall)
Almost three-quarters of the budget value range items on UK supermarket shelves have got more expensive over the last seven months. (Image: NationalWorld/Mark Hall)

Tesco and Sainsbury’s both ditched their value lines in recent years, replacing them with a collection of in-house brands in an effort to keep up with German rivals Aldi and Lidl. At Tesco these include Ms. Molly’s (confectionery and treats), Stockwell & Co (food cupboard essentials) and Creamfields (dairy products).

Sainsbury’s meanwhile boasts Hubbard Foodstores (stock cupboard essentials), J. James and Family (fresh and frozen meat and fish) and Stamford Street (chilled products such as ready meals), among others.

Aldi

We recorded 14 price rises at Aldi among the 60 items that we could take a price snapshot for on both Monday 3 October and Monday 7 November, meaning almost a quarter (23%) of products were affected. The average rise among those products was 8%.

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Two products saw price rises for the second month running, and there was only one price decrease. The 10 Everyday Essentials products with the biggest price rises were:

  1. Strawberries 227g – £1.25 up to £1.49, rise of 19%. Had been £1.49 in April and May before price cuts. 
  2. Garden peas 300g tin – 21p up to 24p, rise of 14%
  3. Light Mozzarella 200g – 49p up to 55p, rise of 12%. Had been 43p between April and July, then 45p in August. 
  4. Mozzarella  200g – 49p up to 55p, rise of 12%. Had been 43p between April and July, then 45p in August. 
  5. Brown Onions 1kg – 50p up to 55p. Was 55p in September too before dropping to 50p, but 50p between April and May and 49p from June to August.
  6. Fromage frais with fruit puree 12x55g – 80p up to 88p, rise of 10%
  7. Smoked Back Bacon 300g – £1.25 up to £1.35, rise of 8%.  
  8. Unsmoked back bacon 300g – £1.25 up to £1.35, rise of 8%
  9. Mature white cheddar 900g – £3.99 up to £4.19, rise of 5%. 
  10. Grated Mozzarella 500g – £2.40 up to £2.50, rise of 4%. Had been £2.49 between April and July, and £2.25 in August. 
  11. Grated Cheddar 500g – £2.40 up to £2.50, rise of 4%. Had been £2.49 between April and July, and £2.25 in August.

Since April, Aldi has put prices up on 40 out of a sample of 63 items (63%). The average rise was 16% during that time (excluding items that stayed the same, or saw price reductions).

Asda

Asda raised prices on 29 out of the 171 products (17%) we gathered price data for in both October and November. The average rise among these was 13%. Only two products got cheaper, while three got more expensive for the second month running.

The 10 products with the biggest price rises were:

  1. Just Essentials Chicken Thigh Portions (contains bones) 1.1kg – £1.94 up to £2.60, rise of 34%. Was £1.82 in April and May before rising to £1.94. 
  2. Just Essentials Carrots 1.5kg – 45p up to 60p, rise of 33%.
  3. Just Essentials Whole Chicken (Typically 1.5kg) – £3.10 up to £4.09, rise of 32%. 
  4. Just Essentials British Parsnips 500g – 39p up to 50p, rise of 28%.
  5. Just Essentials Fresh Garlic Bread Baguette 170g – 32p up to 40p, rise of 25%.
  6. Just Essentials 20 frozen sausages 907g – £1.21 up to £1.50, rise of 24%. Was £1 in April and May and £1.10 between June and August. 
  7. Just Essentials Sweetcorn in Water 326g – 38p up to 45p, rise of 18%. Had been 35p in April. 
  8. Just Essentials strawberry jam 454g – 34p up to 40p, rise of 18%. Had been 28p in April, then 31p between May and August. 
  9. Just Essentials Pasta Shapes 500g – 35p up to 41p, rise of 17%. Had been 29p in April then 32p between May and August, 
  10. Just Essentials Beef Steak 170g – £2 up to £2.25, rise of 13%. 
  11. Smart Price Sponge Mix 225G – 40p up to 45p, rise of 13%. Had been 35p between April and June. 

Since April, Asda has raised prices on 107 out of a sample of 158 value range items (68%). The average rise for those products was 19%.

Morrisons

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Of 45 Morrisons Savers  items that we could gather prices for in both October and November, only one saw a price rise. This was a jar of Morrisons Savers sliced beetroot, which went up by 30% from 50p to 65p.

However a large number of items we have been tracking since April have either been discontinued, or were out of stock in October or November or both, so price data could not be taken.

From a sample of 34 items with price data for April and November, 25 (74%) got more expensive, with an average price rise of 23%, the highest margin of any supermarket.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s put up prices for 25 out of 134 items (19%) between October and November. Four items went up for at least the second month in a row, while three products got cheaper.

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The average rise for products that got more expensive last month was 13%. The 10 products with the biggest price rises are:

  1. Mary Ann’s Dairy Greek style salad cheese 200g – 70p up to £1.30, rise of 86%. Was 75p between April and July before dropping to 70p in August. 
  2. Hubard’s Foodstore mayonnaise 500ml – 50p up to 70p, rise of 40%. Was 60p between April and May and 65p between June and August before dropping to 50p. 
  3. Hubbard’s Foodstore chopped tomatoes 400g – 28p up to 32p, rise of 14%.
  4. J. James & Family smoked british gammon steak 200g – £1.40 up to £1.59, rise of 14%. Had been £1.33 in April and May. 
  5. J. James & Family unsmoked british gammon steak 200g – £1.40 up to £1.59, rise of 14%. Had been £1.33 in April and May.
  6. Hubbard’s Foodstore strawberry jam 454g - 30p up to 34p, rise of 13%. Was 28p between April and July. 
  7. The Greengrocer mixed frozen vegetables 1kg – 79p up to 89p, rise of 13%. Had been 69p between April and July. 
  8. Mary Ann’s Dairy mozzarella 125g – 49p up to 55p, rise of 12%. Had been 43p between April and July, then 45p un August before rising tp 49p. 
  9. Hubbard’s Foodstore vegetable cup soup x 4 18g – 36p up to 40p, rise of 11%.
  10. J. James & Family 16 frozen Seafood Sticks 250g – 90p up to £1, rise of 11%. Had been 80p between April and August and 85p in September before rising to 90p. 

Over the seven months since April, Sainsbury’s has raised prices on 106 out of a sample of 133 groceries – 80%, the highest proportion of any supermarket in our tracker. The average rise, for items that got more expensive, was 19.9%.

Tesco

There were 45 price rises recorded at Tesco among 205 items we could gather price data for in October and November, meaning 22% of the offering was affected. There were also five price decreases.

Eight of the products that got more expensive last month had seen price rises for at least two consecutive months. The average increase for those with price rises last month was 9%.

  1. Woodside Farms 8 Pork Sausages 454G – £1 up to £1.20, rise of 20%. Was 80p in April and 83p in May before rising to £1. 
  2. Nightingale Farms Cherry Tomatoes 250G – 48p up to 57p, rise of 19%. Had been 50p in July and August, having been 48p before that. 
  3. Suntrail Farms Soft Citrus Pack 600G – 75p up to 89p, rise of 19%. Was 69p between April and June, and 72p between July and August. 
  4. Grower’s harvest chopped tomatoes 400g – 28p up to 32p, rise of 14%.
  5. Hearty Food Co Chicken & Mushroom Flavoured Noodles 70G – 38p up to 43p, rise of 13%. Had been 35p in April and May. 
  6. Hearty Food Co Spicy Curry Flavoured Noodles 70G – 38p up to 43p, rise of 13%. Had been 35p in April and May. 
  7. Growers Harvest Mixed frozen vegetables 1Kg – 79p up to 89p, rise of 13%. Had been 69p between April and July. 
  8. Creamfields mozzarella 210g – 49p up to 55p, rise of 12%. Had been 43p between April and July, then 45p in August before rising to 49p. 
  9. Rosedene Farms Raspberries 125G – £1.24 up to £1.39, rise of 12%.
  10. Suntrail Farms Kiwi 6 pack – 85p up to 95p, rise of 12%. Had been 67p in April, 75p in May and 79p in June before rising to 85p. 
  11. Redmere Farms Baby Potato 1Kg – 85p up to 95p, rise of 12%. Had been 79p in April, 81p in June, 90p in July and August, and 85p in September. 
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At Tesco, there were 149 price rises out of a sample of 207 items between April and November – 72%. The average price rise during that time was 21%.

If you rely on value range items and have been struggling with rising prices, we want to hear from you. Email [email protected]

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