Rising Food Prices UK: Why Groceries Cost More and What It Means for Your Wallet

When you walk into a supermarket and see a loaf of bread cost more than your bus fare, you’re feeling the impact of rising food prices UK, the sustained increase in the cost of basic groceries across the United Kingdom. Also known as food inflation, this isn’t just a number on a chart—it’s what happens when your weekly shop suddenly eats up half your paycheque. It’s not just bread and milk either. Eggs, chicken, butter, even pasta and rice have jumped by 20% to 40% since 2022. And for families on tight budgets, that’s not a hiccup—it’s a crisis.

This isn’t happening in a vacuum. cost of living UK, the total amount needed to maintain a basic standard of living has climbed faster than wages. Rent, energy bills, and transport costs are all up, but food is the one thing you can’t skip. Even if you cut back on coffee or skip the gym, you still have to eat. And when the cheapest options—like frozen meals or processed snacks—also get pricier, there’s nowhere left to hide. The food poverty, a condition where people cannot afford to buy enough nutritious food is no longer just a term used by charities. It’s in your neighbour’s kitchen, your coworker’s lunchbox, and the long lines at food banks in Tower Hamlets, Birmingham, and Glasgow.

What’s behind it? Global supply chains still haven’t fully recovered from pandemic disruptions. War in Ukraine sent grain and fertilizer prices soaring. The cost of fuel hit farmers and delivery companies hard. And then there’s the pound—when it weakens, imported food gets more expensive. But here’s the thing: it’s not just about what’s happening overseas. The UK’s own food system is broken. Supermarkets have too much power, farmers are squeezed, and government support hasn’t kept up. Meanwhile, climate change is making harvests less predictable. A wet summer in Kent means fewer apples. A drought in Spain means higher olive oil prices. These aren’t distant problems—they land on your shelf.

You don’t need to be an economist to see the effect. Parents are choosing between heating and eating. Retirees are skipping meals. Students are living on beans and rice. And the people who work in supermarkets, warehouses, and care homes—those earning minimum wage—are the ones feeling it the most. The inflation UK, the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services rises has slowed a bit, but food prices keep climbing even when other things get cheaper. That’s because food isn’t discretionary. It’s survival.

Below, you’ll find real stories and data from across London and the UK about how this is playing out. From families using food banks for the first time, to chefs raising prices because their suppliers doubled their costs, to local councils trying to fix the gap with community fridges. These aren’t abstract trends. They’re Tuesday night dinners, school lunches, and empty cupboards. This collection doesn’t just show you the numbers—it shows you the people behind them.