Swathes of cheese products leapt in price this week, with some lines up 41% in just a month.
It comes after average milk prices hit a new record high in February, according to Defra, as farmers continued to battle energy and feed costs.
Around one fifth of all supermarket cheese products jumped in price during March, the latest in a series of price hikes across retailers over the past few months.
The price rises were seen on both British and European cheeses, with cambozola in Sainsbury’s up 41% since the start of March, this week’s KVI tracker shows.
Even cheeses previously resistant to inflation over the past year are now seeing hikes. Lidl and Morrisons, for example, have both put up prices on own-label cheese singles for the first time in a year. Typically one of the cheapest cheeses in the supermarket, the move will be a blow to shoppers on a budget, with the product now on average 17% more expensive than last year across all supermarkets.
Yet it is not all bad news for shoppers. Mild cheddar prices were stable throughout March, according to AHDB, which said “both buyers and sellers are holding back committing to any significant price changes” ahead of peak production.
Dairy prices have been one of the key drivers of inflation in the past year, with cheese now 24% more expensive compared with this time last year, according to a Grocer analysis of Assosia retail data.
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said through initiatives such as Aldi Price Match “customers can find low prices on the products they buy most often both in stores and online – including cheese”.
A Morrisons spokeswoman said: “This is an unprecedented period of inflation and we are working hard to keep prices down and competitive for our customers while maintaining high standards and availability in all our stores.”
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