Food price inflation has risen for the first time in a year, with some supermarket products more than doubling in cost, according to consumer group Which?. Its latest research, which tracks over 27,000 prices monthly across all major UK supermarkets, shows overall grocery inflation increased from 2.4% in May to 2.6% in June 2026. This marks the first monthly rise since May 2025.
Sharp Price Increases on Specific Items
Which? identified several products with dramatic price hikes. Asda's Just Essentials Mild Cheddar Slices (200g) saw the biggest jump, with the average price more than doubling from 65p in the three months to June 2025 to £1.39 in the same period this year — a 113% increase. Sainsbury's Snack Pork Pies (two x 130g) rose 92%, from 91p to £1.75. Tesco's own-label budget range Ms Molly's Iced Fairy Cakes (12-pack) increased 66%, from £1.20 to £1.99.
Supermarket Inflation Rates
According to Which?, Tesco had the highest inflation rate in June at 4.1%, up from 2.9% in May, followed by Sainsbury's at 3.9%. However, these figures exclude loyalty discounts from Tesco's Clubcard and Sainsbury's Nectar schemes, which could affect the actual prices paid by shoppers.
Expert Comments and Broader Context
Reena Sewraz, Which? retail expert, said: “After months of easing grocery inflation, this month’s increase is a reminder that pressure on household budgets hasn’t disappeared. While overall inflation remains far below the highs seen during the cost of living crisis, our latest data, combined with retailers’ own warnings that cost pressures remain in the system, suggests supermarkets cannot be complacent and it remains crucial for affordable budget ranges to remain widely available across all stores so shoppers aren’t forced to pay more for everyday essentials.”
Experts have warned that food inflation could rise further in coming weeks due to ongoing fallout from the Middle East conflict and higher crude oil prices.
Supermarket Responses
A Tesco spokesperson said: "We are committed to keeping the cost of the weekly shop as low as possible. We do not recognise these figures, and Which? has not shared its calculations with us. Customers can be confident in the great value that they will find at Tesco, week-in, week-out."
A Sainsbury's spokesperson commented: "The three products highlighted are not representative of a typical weekly shop, we offer our customers great value across their whole basket when they shop with us. Over the past five years, we have invested more than £1 billion in keeping prices low, rather than passing on the full impact of rising costs to customers."
Asda was also contacted for comment but did not respond.
Wider Economic Impact
The rise in food inflation comes as millions of households face a new cost-of-living squeeze, with wages failing to keep pace with prices, leading to a real-terms pay cut. Research from the Work Foundation at Lancaster University found that only 22% of firms surveyed plan to give above-inflation pay rises in 2026, falling to 16% for firms with fewer than 50 staff.
