Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
The Big Issue Oasis Collector's edition is coming - sign up so you don't miss out!
SIGN UP
Health

A turbulent summer has sent British food prices soaring

The Beast from the East and the summer of heat have been a double weather whammy sending food prices soaring. Throw in Brexit fears and Christmas could be a lean affair. Hannah Westwater does the sums

Cropped shot of a herd of cows feeding on a dairy farm

Dairy

Eleven consecutive weekly falls in production during the hot, dry summer meant grass growth was poor and grazing was poorer. The farm gate price of butter has risen 24 per cent since March and continues to climb, so it’s expected to be a difficult winter for dairy farmers – and cheese lovers.

Red meat

There will be a short-term fall in red meat prices as farmers look to sell off some of their livestock to “reduce the burden on grazing land”. But don’t be fooled – this summer’s heat wasn’t only destructive to the harvest of feed for livestock, but to the animals themselves. It actually reduced the fertility of pigs, leading to an eight per cent rise in piglet prices this year. Keen festive chefs will need to fork out a little extra to wrap those pigs in blankets.

Bread

The wheat used for feeding cattle also goes into our most trusted staples like bread and pasta. In the UK, much of our grain is imported from the EU, where they suffered record high temperatures too this past summer. Industry forecasts point towards price spikes in the near future, triggering real concern for our bread-heavy British shopping baskets.

Turkey and chicken

Those birds need fed too, and the wheat shortage caused by 2018 weather whiplash has impacted poultry farming. Expect turkeys up to five times the price of last December – and fewer of them.

Wine

Perhaps the biggest blow to the festive season: millions of bottles were “eliminated” by a storm in the French wine regions of Bordeaux, Champagne and Cognac. The committee leading the champagne and wine trade likely won’t miss out thanks to the generous reserves on-hand, but there could be repercussions for Brits keen for a party over the holidays. Across the board, wholesale prices are expected to be boosted by five per cent, potentially causing the British public an extra £45m per week, equivalent to a rise of £7.15 per household per month.

Potatoes

Growers have been working round the clock to help their crops recover from one of the driest summers ever recorded, with an estimated 180,000 tonnes fewer potatoes than the same period in 2017. However unlike in 1976 – when drought-like conditions caused potato prices to rise astronomically – modern farming practices mean shopping for spuds shouldn’t make a significant dent in your wallet. A shortage is possible, though, so festive party-throwers should consider swapping those baskets of crisps for something else.

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

Image: iStock

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

SIGN THE PETITION

Will you sign Big Issue's petition to ask Keir Starmer to pass a Poverty Zero law? It's time to hold government to account on poverty once and for all.

Recommended for you

View all
MPs vote to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales: 'We are right to give people a choice'
Kim Leadbeater in the House of Commons
Assisted dying

MPs vote to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales: 'We are right to give people a choice'

We ignore 'forgotten' diseases like leprosy at our peril
Diseases

We ignore 'forgotten' diseases like leprosy at our peril

The NHS is the 'big winner' from Reeves' spending review – but there will be 'difficult trade-offs'
Spending Review

The NHS is the 'big winner' from Reeves' spending review – but there will be 'difficult trade-offs'

Sound advice: why ear health matters – and how easy it is to check yours
Two silhouetted figures stand on a curved path surrounded by layered, abstract paper-cut shapes in shades of green and teal, creating a tunnel-like effect that suggests depth and exploration, modelled on the human ear.
Advertorial

Sound advice: why ear health matters – and how easy it is to check yours

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know
4.

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know

Support our vendors with a subscription

For each subscription to the magazine, we’ll provide a vendor with a reusable water bottle, making it easier for them to access cold water on hot days.