Waitrose and Tesco have hiked the price of Saclà pestos amid a major shortage driven by contamination fears.
Past weeks have seen supermarket pesto stocks annihilated amid a swathe of product recalls from Saclà. The recalls have affected Aldi and Waitrose own-label products, as well as Sainsbury’s and Tesco, which shared a cashew supplier with Saclà.
Of the few 190g jars of pesto that remain on shelves in Waitrose and Tesco, prices have risen: research by The Grocer shows Saclà Organic Basil Pesto has been hiked from £2.60 to £2.70 this week in Tesco [52 w/e 16 January 2020].
Meanwhile, four Saclà SKUS in Waitrose - Coriander Pesto, Fiery Chilli Pesto, Organic Pesto, Organic Vegetarian No.6 Pesto - have risen from £2.50 to £2.70 over the past fortnight, with Saclà Roasted Pepper Pesto rising from £2.50 to £2.60.
When asked why prices had risen amid the current shortage, a Waitrose spokeswoman said: “Since 2010 we have price-matched products against Tesco, and the pricing of these products has been increased to reflect market changes.”
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Tesco advised The Grocer it had raised the price of the pesto in question as a result of price-matching the wider market, rather than anything to do with the current supply crisis.
However, neither Asda nor Sainsbury’s have hiked the price of Saclà pestos since the crisis kicked off, our research shows.
In fact, the Saclà products that remain in Asda - Fiery Chilli Pesto and Roasted Pepper Pesto - have been priced at £2.59 since October, and are currently on offer at £2.
Saclà prices in Sainsbury’s, meanwhile, have remained largely stable over the duration of the crisis: it is currently charging £2.50 for Fiery Chilli Pesto and £2.60 for Free From Sun Dried Pesto. Organic Basil Pesto has cost £2.70 for some months [Edge by Ascential].
Morrisons has not changed the price of any Saclà SKU - six are listed - at all.
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