The price of Branston beans has soared by as much as 46% in the mults over recent weeks, The Grocer can reveal.
Research by The Grocer using Assosia data shows category leader Heinz isn’t the only baked beans brand getting dearer: 18 of Branston’s core baked beans SKUs have risen in price in Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Tesco over the 12 weeks to 4 October.
Its Baked Beans 6x410g, for instance, rose 46.4% in price at Morrisons – from £3.75 to £3.99 on 13 September, and again to £4.49 on 19 September. In Tesco, Branston Beans & Sausages 405g tins were up 35% – from £1 to £1.20 on 23 September, and rose to £1.35 on 3 October.
Its Baked Beans 220g, meanwhile, increased from 55p to 70p in Sainsbury’s on 16 September – a 27.3% price hike. And in Asda, Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce 4x410g rose 20% from £2.50 to £3 on 8 September. The Grocer has approached Branston and the retailers for comment.
Heinz made headlines this summer when it fell out with Tesco, leaving the retailer’s shelves stripped of Beanz and Heinz Ketchup products.
Tesco ultimately conceded some price rises to Heinz: as reported by The Grocer last month, over half of Heinz’s range currently stocked in the retailer (excluding babyfood) were, at the time of writing, higher in price since the spat.
Heinz losses were in fact minimal, with sales down just £1.1m (2.2%) over the four weeks to 2 July, as shoppers switched to other retailers, including Aldi, which started stocking Heinz Beanz during the period. Then, over the following four weeks, its sales rose 1% to £49m
However consumption of Branston beans rose, as it mopped up an additional £2.8m in sales during the dispute, a 6.4% uplift over the four weeks to 2 July.
Branston beans were also rebranded in August, in a bid to lure in younger shoppers.
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