UK supermarket prices rose 1 percent last month, the second consecutive monthly rise, according to the mySupermarket Groceries Tracker.
A basket of 35 popular supermarket items cost £83.44 in July, up from £82.83 in June. It is the first time since November 2015 that prices have risen for two months straight.
Compared to the same month last year the cost of a basket of 35 popular supermarket products is still 2.5%, or £2.15, cheaper. However, in June prices were 4% lower compared to the same month in 2015.
The comparison website said on Tuesday that British shoppers were beginning to “feel the Brexit bite as grocery prices go up”.
MySupermarket chief executive Gilad Simhony said:
“It looks like we are entering a period of intense uncertainty in the grocery sector and this is likely to result in the extreme fluctuation of pricing for popular everyday products.
“Supermarkets are working in uncharted territory and are trying everything to lure shoppers whilst navigating themselves through what could be a time of prolonged instability.
“Shoppers should keep a close eye on whether their favourite grocery products are creeping up in price as the difference across supermarkets can have a big impact on their wallets over a longer period of time.”
The increase was led by a significant rise in products such as pasta (up 10%), onions (up 9%) and fresh peppers and pasta sauce (both up 6%).
The website’s price tracker cover nearly 5,000 products across some of the country’s leading chains, including Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.
Prices of imported food likely to increase because of the drop in the value of the pound
Which? Home team expert Matt Clear said: ‘Most experts expect that food prices will go up in the short term, although by how much depends on many factors. Prices of imported food are likely to go up due to the pound’s current drop in value following the referendum result; some 40% of our food is imported.’
