How long will food prices stay high?

When you’re pushing the trolley round the supermarket, you can’t fail to notice how everything seems more expensive than it did a week earlier.

And that begs an important question - how long will food prices keep going up at a such a fast pace?

Well, food inflation actually fell from 3.3% to 2.2% last month.

That’s the slowest rate since December 2024.

But nevertheless, food inflation is widely tipped to go up in the coming months.

Prices to stay high in 2027

The Food and Drink Federation has said it’s “great to see” that food inflation eased off in May.

However, chief executive Karen Betts pointed out that consumer prices don’t currently reflect the inflation caused by the Iran war.

“It generally takes several months for the increased costs paid by farmers, processors and manufacturers to filter into raised prices at the tills, not least because of the widespread use of long-term contracts for energy and ingredients,” she commented.

“But manufacturer input costs are rising, including for transport, packaging and energy, and we expect food inflation to pick up this year and into next.”

Worst-case scenario avoided, but pressure on household budgets remains

The Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD), meanwhile, is saying “prolonged pressure” will continue weighing on household budgets.

In fact, it’s predicting households with children will need to find an extra £203 for food and drink this year, and another £207 next year.

“The impact of geopolitical conflict usually takes time to filter through to raised food prices,” said IGD chief economist James Walton.

“Despite the peace deal announced by the US, we expect food inflation to peak at 5.5% due to the disruption already experienced.”

How can I cut the cost of my food shop?

If you’re worried about rising prices in the supermarket, there are a few savvy ways to bring your grocery bill down.

Shop around

If you usually do your weekly shop in the same supermarket, find out if other stores offer better deals.

Budget for your food shop

Make sure you know your income and outgoings, so you work out exactly what you can afford to spend in the supermarket each week.

Check our guide to how to create a budget to get started.

Write a shopping list

Before going to the supermarket, plan what meals you want and write down the ingredients you need to make them.

If you have a list and stick to it, you won’t be as tempted to pick up those bits you don’t need or don’t end up using.

Buy low-cost, versatile ingredients

Base your meals around relatively cheap ingredients that can be used in lots of different ways, such as rice, frozen veg and tinned tomatoes.

You’ll then have plenty of meal options at a fraction of the cost.

Check out our list of 12 ingredients you need in your kitchen.

Understand food labels

People often chuck out perfectly good food just because of the date written on the packaging.

So it’s really important that you understand what use-by, best before and sell-by dates really mean.

If you know what these labels are telling you, you’ll be less likely to throw good food away, so you won’t need to spend as much next time you’re in the shop.

Swap ingredients for cheaper alternatives

If one important ingredient seems particularly expensive, see if you can replace it with something cheaper.

For example, tinned tomatoes are a great budget-friendly alternative to branded pasta sauce, and they’re healthier too.

Check our regular money saving tips

Check back here regularly for our round-ups of standout deals and low-cost recipes that can save you money in the supermarket.

We’ve also got more tips on how you can keep the cost of your food shop down.