Food and non-alcoholic drink prices rose by 3.7% in the 12 months to March 2026, up from 3.3% in February
It is feared that food prices will keep rising as the war in the Middle East continues – but there are ways to cut your costs in the supermarket.
Food and non-alcoholic drink prices rose by 3.7% in the 12 months to March 2026, up from 3.3% in February, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
UK businesses last week warned the Bank of England that they fear food inflation may jump to as high as 7% this year if the Iran war continues.
But it isn’t just the Middle East war that has impacted food costs. The start of the Ukraine war in 2022 created supply chain pressures, particularly in relation to rising costs for fertilisers.
The latest Food Foundation tracker shows that the cost of a basic weekly shop has increased by 29.2% for women and 36.4% for men since April 2022.
Supermarkets have said they are working with the Government to help plan for a worst-case scenario which could see the conflict lead to shortages of carbon dioxide used by food producers.
CO2 is also used to make drinks fizzy. On the outbreak of war, the Government provided funding to reactivate the Ensus bioethanol plant, which makes CO2 as a by-product.
How to save money in the supermarkets
Yellow stickers: The best time for yellow stickers is typically toward the end of the day, although this varies massively between stores. Ask staff when they usually mark down items so you can get a sense of when it best to visit.
Try the Downshift Challenge: This is where you swap branded goods for supermarket-own. Depending on what you buy, you could save around 30% on your food bill. If your weekly shop costs £100 normally, there is the potential to save more than £1,500 over the year. Compare prices: Use Trolley.co.uk to compare live prices across all the major supermarkets and other popular retailers. You can also set up discount alerts for price changes, and there is a price history tool so you can see if something was cheaper at an earlier date. Look down different aisles: You can often find cheaper versions of the same products in the world food and baby aisles. For example, 100g of ground cumin in Tesco costs £1.90 for the supermarket version, of £1.50 for a different brand in the world food aisle. Write a list and stick to it: This will help reduce impulse buys when you’re in the store. It also helps to not shop when you’re hungry, so you don’t divert from your list. Don’t forget to check your fridge and cupboards as well to make the most of what you already have and to avoid double-buying. Use your freezer: Try to avoid throwing away food that can be eaten at a later date. You can tell if food can be frozen by checking product packaging for freezing instructions. The UK wastes approximately 9.52 million tonnes of food every year.
Discount groups: LatestDeals and HotUKDeals are great for listing the newest supermarket offers. Try also joining Facebook groups where members share the latest deals. Free supermarket magazines: Don’t forget to pick these up, as they often have vouchers inside. You will also find recipes and competitions, if you’re feeling lucky.
