Brits are bemoaning bigger shopping bills after Asda and Sainsbury’s increased prices on over 500 own label lines.
Asda hiked prices across hundreds of own label SKUs last month, including biscuits, cakes, soft drinks, cooking oil, sauces and spreads, cereal, bacon, sausages, ready meals and frozen fish [Edge by Ascential 22 w/e 1 June 2019].
Most of the increases were on everyday items like a two-litre bottle of cola, up 6p to 50p, a 500g box of Asda Choco Snaps up 9p to £1.54 and 30 Asda Omega 3 Fish Fingers, up from £3.50 to £3.98. However, prices were raised on some premium items, such as Asda’s Extra Special 6 Thick Cut Dry Cured Smoked Back Bacon Rashers 240g, 35p more than in January, at £2.50.
Sainsbury’s hiked prices on hundreds of own label SKUs earlier this year, with several own label biscuits up 5p, such as a 500g pack of digestives, now 55p, and a 200g pack of rich tea biscuits, now 45p. It also added 5p to butters and spreads like its 500g olive oil spread, now £1.15, and a 250g salted organic butter block, now £1.85.
In total, both supermarkets have increased prices on over 500 own label SKUs since the beginning of January, while Asda has cut non-promoted prices on less than 200 own label lines and Sainsbury’s on less than 80.
Both have managed to keep a lid on overall inflation, with The Grocer’s latest GPI data showing deflation at Sainsbury’s and relatively flat prices overall in Asda in May.
However, the price hikes on own label essentials haven’t escaped the notice of shoppers, who have complained via Twitter. ‘Anyone else noticed the prices in Asda are sneaking up? 6p here, 20p there?’ said one customer last week. ‘It’s on stuff I buy all the time and has made a big difference in price….’
Another said: ‘A lot of stuff I buy in @sainsburys has gone up by at least 10p. Funny how these prices keep sneaking up’.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization revealed this week that global food prices have risen for five consecutive months, with adverse weather, animal disease and trade wars bringing volatility back to commodities markets.
A Sainsbury’s spokesman told The Grocer: “The cost of individual products is determined by a number of factors and prices can fluctuate, both up and down, as a consequence.
“We remain committed to providing our customers with great quality and value every time they shop with us.”
An Asda spokeswoman said: “Keeping prices low for customers is in our DNA, and market data clearly shows we’ve been holding back inflation on commodity items.
“Our customers can be assured that we’ll continue to invest in keeping prices low across both own brand and branded items, as evidenced by the Grocer 33 for the past 21 years.”
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