Cost of living crisis: The everyday food items that are soaring in price

UK shoppers are feeling the pinch at the tills as a result of soaring food prices amid record inflation.

The squeeze on households tightened in March as rapidly rising food and fuel prices sent inflation to another 30-year high.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the consumer prices index (CPI) of inflation rose 7% in the year to March, up from 6.2% in February.

It was once more the highest point since March 1992, when inflation stood at 7.1%.

Data this week also revealed that, while regular weekly wages increased by 4% between December 2021 and February 2022, workers actually saw a real terms pay cut of 1% in the same period when adjusted for inflation.

Combined with this, food inflation in the same period stood at 5.8%.

Watch: UK heading for worst cost-of-living crisis since the 1950s, says economist

Which food items are going up in price the most?

ONS figures show that some staple food products have seen huge price rises in the past year.

Margarine has seen the biggest spike, with prices rising by 34.8% in the year to March 2022.

Oil, not including olive oil, increased in price by 18.1%, and lamb and goat prices rose by 16.9%.

Bread has gone in up price by 5.2%, and whole milk is 7.4% more expensive than a year ago.

Food and Drink Federation chief executive Karen Betts warned that prices are “likely to continue to climb in the months to come”.

She said: “Food and drink manufacturers are doing all they can to absorb rises in their ingredient, raw material and energy costs.

"But businesses must also remain viable and the reality of current inflation means that some price increases are having to be passed on.”

British Retail Consortium chief executive Helen Dickinson added: “Retailers are trying to help consumers by expanding their value ranges and doing all they can to keep the price of essentials down.”

But Joanna Elson, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, the charity behind the National Debtline, said many households are already buckling under rising costs.

“One in eight UK adults say they have already gone without heating, water or electricity in the last three months,” she said.

“With energy, food and fuel price rises showing no signs of easing, and national insurance increases hitting pay packets for the first time this month, there is no respite in sight.

“Urgent action is needed to prevent more people facing impossible choices trying to meet basic needs, and at risk of an increasing burden of debt.”