Supermarket food prices have rocketed more than 25% over the past two years, according to new data from Which?, with the size of the increase reigniting calls for greater price transparency to be displayed to allow shoppers to find the best deal.
The consumer group has called on the government to close loopholes that cause “confusing and inconsistent” pricing practices at some of the grocers.
It comes as Which? reported Tesco to the Competition and Markets Authority last month because it does not provide shoppers with unit prices – the price for each 100g or 100ml – for its Clubcard Prices offer.
The consumer group said the lack of unit pricing made it harder for Tesco shoppers to compare value for money between different sized packaging.
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Following the criticism, Tesco UK chief executive Jason Tarry shared in a blog post it would be adding unit prices to its Clubcard promotions by early next year “to make it simpler for our customers to see by weight or volume just how competitive those offers are”.
Which? head of food policy Sue Davies said: “Two years of relentlessly soaring food prices have had a devastating impact on households.
“This isn’t helped by the confusing and inconsistent pricing practices used by some supermarkets, which make it incredibly difficult to work out how to find the best value products.”
The recent calls come ahead of the CMA’s update on its unit pricing investigation expected on Thursday.
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