British Bakeries has fired the first salvo in the fight to raise bread prices with a price hike on 800g Hovis wholemeal. According to The Grocer 33 shopping survey, the price rose between 5p and 9p to 54p in most multiples, except for Asda and Safeway where the price stayed at 45p. The move follows British Bakeries' radical makeover of its entire Hovis sliced loaf range. For the industry, long critical of bread's inconsistent pricing structure and the way multiples use it as a loss leader, it is seen as the first sign of improving bread's prices which have fallen steadily over the years. A British Bakeries spokesman said: "Stores are using the Hovis relaunch to break free from the vicious circle of unsustainable low prices and promotional activity. "People are also aware that grain price increases are pointing to a general bread price increase later this summer." {{NEWS }}

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