Which of your favourite branded foods have risen the most in price?
The price of popular branded groceries such as Heinz ketchup, Dolmio sauce and Anchor butter have increased dramatically in the past two years, according to new Which? research.
Our investigation shows that some of the UK's favourite branded foods may have risen much more sharply than the headline 14.7% rate of inflation for groceries overall.
The worst items in our investigation went up by more than 100% over two years.
Which groceries had the worst price rises?
Which? looked at 79 branded items, comparing prices at six major supermarkets (Asda, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose) across the same month in both 2020 and 2022.
Out of the items on the shopping list, Heinz Tomato Ketchup – top down (460g) saw the biggest average percentage increase overall. It went up by 53%, or 91p, across the six retailers, from an average of £1.74 to £2.65 over the two-year period.
The second-biggest average percentage increase was on Dolmio Lasagne Sauce (470g) which went up by 47% or 61p across the six supermarkets in the two years, from £1.46 to £2.07 on average. However, the price increased by as much as 107% or £1.09 in one supermarket.
Heinz Classic Cream of Chicken Soup 400g also went up an average of 46% or 44p across the board from around £1 to almost £1.50.
Even traditionally cheaper foods such as student staple Batchelors Super Noodles Bbq Beef Flavour (90g) has surged in price. We found the price went up an average of 43% across the six supermarkets, from an average of 59p to 82p.
- Find out more: which is the cheapest supermarket?
Price of basic groceries also rising fast
Prices also increased on basics such as Hovis Granary Wholemeal (800g), increasing by an average of 43% or 58p across the six supermarkets, from £1.39 to £1.97 on average.
Branded butter also jumped in price. Anchor Spreadable butter tub (500g) went up by £1.31 (45%) on average across all six supermarkets over the two-year period. Meanwhile Lurpak Spreadable Slightly Salted 500g tub saw an average increase of £1.17 (35%).
The price of Twinings of London Everyday 100 Tea Bags had the sharpest individual increase in absolute terms at one supermarket: an extra £2.33 (64%) in 2022 compared with the base price in 2020. Across the six retailers the teabags went up, on average, 64p (17%).
Choosing own-label groceries over big brands can save you money. Find out which beat their better-known rivals in our food and drink taste tests.
The 30 branded groceries with the biggest price hikes
The table below shows the branded groceries in our investigation with the biggest price increases.
| Product name | Average prie rise |
|---|---|
| Heinz Tomato Ketchup (top down) 460g | 53% |
| Dolmio Lasagne Sauce 470g | 47% |
| Heinz Classic Cream of Chicken Soup 400g | 46% |
| Dolmio Bolognese Original Pasta Sauce 500g | 46% |
| Anchor Spreadable Butter 500g tub | 45% |
| Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup | 44% |
| Colman's Classic Mint Sauce | 44% |
Table note: Which? conducted an analysis on 79 branded products available across Asda, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose (Sept 21 to Oct 20 in both 2020 and 2022). The products were chosen as popular widely available groceries that could be matched between both time periods. Aldi and Lidl were not included in the study as they did not have enough comparable items. All the data includes discounts but not multibuys or loyalty offers.
- Find out more: use our free advice to get you through the cost of living crisis
Which?'s Affordable Food For All campaign
Which? has launched an Affordable Food For All campaign. That's because, while you can save money by shopping around or avoiding branded goods, some people could be paying over the odds if they live in areas not well served by a choice of larger supermarkets, or retailers do not stock cheaper own-brand and budget ranges.
Which? believes supermarkets need to do more to support all consumers through the crisis by making sure food prices are easy to understand, to make budgeting much simpler, making sure budget lines are available throughout stores and online, and providing targeted promotions to support people in the areas that are struggling the most.
Sue Davies, Which? head of food policy, said: 'Our research shows the shocking rate of inflation on some of the nation’s favourite branded foods, which is much higher than the national average, highlighting why it is so important for retailers to provide people with a choice of product ranges.
'Supermarkets must ensure budget lines for healthy and affordable essential items are widely available across their stores, including smaller convenience stores. Promotions should be targeted at those most in need, and people should be supported so they can easily compare the price of products to get the best value.'
