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Grocery bills set to soar by £643 this year

According to research firm Kantar, the average annual grocery bill in the UK will rise by £643 this year.

That means shoppers could pay an extra £54 a month on average for groceries and other groceries.

Back in June, the company predicted the cost of the average annual supermarket store would rise by £380 in 2022.

Grocery prices have skyrocketed this year, with the war in Ukraine helping to push up supermarket checkout prices.

The survey also showed that the price of a weekly purchase increased by 13.9% in September compared to a year earlier. That’s another record high since Kantar first began tracking the sector in 2008.

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“The cost of living crisis is still hitting the checkout line hard, and this latest data will be hard reading for many,” said Fraser McKevitt, Kantar’s head of retail and consumer insight.

“Based on our figures, the average household faces a £643 increase in their annual grocery bill to £5,265 if they keep buying the same items. Looking at that at basket level, that’s an extra £3.04 on top of the cost of The average shopping trip last year was £21.89.

However, the firm also said people are looking for ways to manage their budgets to avoid paying more for their groceries amid rising living costs.

Sales of supermarket own-brand products continue to grow as customers switch from branded products.

Inflation — the rate at which prices are rising — is currently near a 40-year high at 9.9%.

Soaring costs are straining household budgets, and new figures on Tuesday show that growth in regular wages has not kept pace with the rising cost of living.

Food prices have increased globally following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which was one of the factors driving up prices at supermarket checkouts.

The war disrupted supplies from the two countries, which are major exporters of commodities such as sunflower oil, wheat and fertilizers.

According to Kantar, food inflation for the 12-week period ended Oct. 2 is now at 12.3%. Items such as milk, margarine and dog food experience the fastest price increases.

But there isn’t strong evidence that diets are changing despite rising prices, Mr McKevitt said.

“We’re generally reluctant to change our diet, so it’s more about sticking with the foods we know and love while we look for cheaper alternatives,” he said.

“For example, while sales of frozen vegetables are up slightly, there hasn’t been a major shift away from fresh produce, which is still worth 10 times more.”

The one notable exception was a surge in jam sales, which rose 18% in September as the country commemorated the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The data suggests that shoppers are also looking for products to help manage their energy bills.

Energy bills rose for millions of households on October 1, although the increase was cushioned by a government cap on unit costs and living expenses.

A typical fiscal year bill went from £1,971 to £2,500 – double what it was last winter.

Sales of cooking appliances like slow cookers, air fryers and sandwich makers, which tend to use less energy, rose 53%, suggesting people are looking for cheaper ways to cook as they try to avoid their ovens.

Meanwhile, sales of duvets and electric blankets rose 8%, while candles are up 9%, suggesting people may be preparing for potential winter power outages.

Kantar’s report also showed that discounters are once again the fastest growing grocers.

Lidl’s sales are up 21% over the past 12 weeks, closely followed by Aldi.

Asda performed best among traditional large supermarkets, with its new basic range Just Essentials helping to boost sales.

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