Food price inflation on the rise: the everyday items going up in price
Olivia covers sustainability at Which? writing about companies who greenwash, all things rubbish and recycling, and trying to get to the heart of some complex environmental issues.
Grocery inflation is back on the rise again for the first time since May last year, according to Which?'s supermarket food and drink inflation tracker. Is this a sign of things to come?
We analysed the prices of more than 26,000 food and drink items at eight major supermarkets to see how different products are being affected.
Overall, inflation has gone up from 2.4% last month (YoY) to 2.6% this June (YoY). Before this, it had been falling since May last year. It's a small increase but could be a sign of what's been forecast as a result of the conflict in the Middle East and closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Recently, Sainsbury's chief executive Simon Roberts said grocery inflation had so far been lower than many in the industry expected, but warned there remains 'pressure in the system' from significant cost pressures across food supply chains.
Here, we reveal the groceries that have been hit and the actions you could take to keep your costs down.
Fish prices worst affected
It seems inflation has everything to do with the price of fish, as this is the category worst hit in our tracker. Fish has seen particularly high inflation – 11% in June 2026 (YoY).
Fish prices have been affected by the geopolitical situation in the Middle East but also the war in Ukraine, as a significant proportion of whitefish is caught by Russian boats. A 35% tariff was imposed on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.
Both Tesco Breaded Chunky Haddock Fillets (350g) and its Breaded Chunky Cod fillets went up from £3.49 to £5.40 in the year, a 54% increase.
Prices are averages for the three months to the end of June 2026, compared with the same period a year earlier.
Everyday items under pressure
Energy drinks saw an increase of 5.5% and fizzy drinks have seen an increase of 3.3% in the year to June 2026.
The fizzy drinks increase can perhaps be partly explained by the rising cost of CO2 due to shortages caused by the Middle East conflict.
- Shloer Zero White Grape Sparkling Zero Calorie Fruit Drink (750ml) from £1.42 to £2.77 at Asda – up 95%
- Asda Low Calorie Indian Tonic Water 1 Litre (1L) from 55p to 90p at Asda – up 64%
- J2O Pear & Raspberry Fizz (750ml) from £1.82 to £2.87 at Asda – up 58%
Sweet treats also experienced some higher-than-average inflation. Biscuits and chocolate were up 3% and 3.8% respectively in the year to June 2026.
- Paterson's Shortbread & Biscuit Selection Sharing Assortment (400g) from £2 to £3.75 at Sainsbury's – up 87.5%
- Milkybar White Chocolate Kid Bar Multipack (6 pack) from £1.38 to £2.25 at Ocado – up 64%
- Walker's Shortbread Highlanders (160g) from £1.50 to £2.42 at Morrisons – up 62%
- Twix Xtra Twin (75g) from £1 to £1.56 at Waitrose – up 56%
- Bolands Elite 6 Chocolate Kimberley (6 pack) from £1.30 to £1.99 at Asda – up 53%
- Nestlé Toffee Crisp (9 pack) from £1.96 to £2.98 at Lidl – up 52%
All prices are averages for the three months to the end of June in 2026 compared to the same period a year earlier.
Some food is getting cheaper
Cheese only rose by 0.3% in June 2026 compared to June 2025, though not all cheese products were immune to increases. Asda's Just Essentials Mild Cheddar Slices (200g) rose from an average price of 65p to £1.39 – an increase of 113% – the largest increase year on year recorded in our monthly data.
But the average price of butters and spreads fell by 0.9% in June 2026 compared to June 2025.
Dairy products saw some of the highest inflation during the cost of living crisis, generally peaking in late 2022 and early 2023. Butters and spreads recorded the highest annual inflation of all categories in our tracker, peaking in November 2022 at a huge 30.6%.
How to save at the supermarket
It can feel like a losing battle against rising prices, but there are ways to save money on your groceries.
Make sure you compare the price per unit (either 100g or 100ml, for example) across different pack sizes, retailers and brands to ensure you're getting the best value for money.
You can also switch supermarkets to make significant savings – our monthly cheapest supermarket and cheapest supermarket for branded groceries analysis reveals how costs differ between supermarkets for a list of popular groceries.
Having a loyalty card can also save you money. Our latest research revealed this could be as much as 5% with one supermarket.
- Find out more: how to spend less at the supermarket
About Which?'s food and drink inflation tracker
Which?’s tracker looks at 20 popular categories of food and drink at eight supermarkets – Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.
It compares average prices across the same three-month and one-month periods year on year, including discounts but not multibuys or loyalty card offers.
Overall inflation figures are weighted based on supermarket market share and the sales volume of each product category.
Prices are provided by an independent data provider.
- Find out more: Which? food price inflation tracker
