Which? Reveals Supermarket Items Still Rising in Price Amid Cooling Inflation

Consumer group Which? has revealed the supermarket items that continue to see the fastest price increases, despite overall food inflation easing. Annual inflation for supermarket food and drink fell to 3.1% in the three months to the end of May 2026, down from 4.1% in February, but shoppers still feel the pinch.

Fish and Energy Drinks Lead Price Rises

Fish prices jumped the most, rising 9.7% year-on-year in May. Energy drinks followed with a 5.9% increase. The only category to see a decline was butters and spreads, with inflation falling by 0.8%. Chocolate prices remained flat at 0%.

Overall Inflation Trends

The current 3.1% rate is significantly lower than the peak of 17% recorded in the three months to April 2023. On a monthly basis, food inflation stood at 2.4% in May. Which? analysed 20 popular food and drink categories across major supermarkets including Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose.

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Supermarket Comparison

Waitrose recorded the highest annual inflation at 3.8% in May, while Aldi had the lowest at 0.8%. A Waitrose spokesperson said the retailer has since invested over £20 million in lowering prices across its range, aiming to reduce costs for staple items without compromising quality.

Which? notes its inflation tracker includes 25,000 items, and supermarkets do not have access to the full list. Households buying own-label budget groceries face the highest range-based inflation at 4%, compared to a 2.2% rise for branded goods.

Broader Market Data

Separate research from Worldpanel by Numerator found UK grocery inflation eased to 3.1% for the four weeks ending May 17, 2026, down from 3.8% in April. Office for National Statistics data shows food and non-alcoholic beverage prices rose by 3% in the 12 months to April 2026, down from 3.7% in March.

Expert Comments

Reena Sewraz, Which? Retail Editor, said: “Food price inflation may look like it’s easing, but shoppers are still paying the price for years of rising grocery costs. Many households remain under pressure and with inflation due to rise again, shoppers are looking for every opportunity to cut costs. Our research found a significant difference in inflation rates between supermarkets, from 3.8% at Waitrose to 0.8% at Aldi in May. In a separate analysis, Aldi was also the cheapest supermarket overall, showing that shoppers who compare prices can make their money go further.”

Andrew Opie, Director of Food & Sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said: “Retailers are doing everything they can to offer great value. The UK has the most affordable grocery prices in Western Europe thanks to fierce competition. However, retailers face challenges from higher energy and commodity costs resulting from the Middle East conflict and the soaring cost of the government’s domestic policies.”