“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.”

Over the past year we’ve seen everyday food items have sky-rocketed to an all time high in price, due to recent inflation.

Basic items such as bread and milk have increased, with bread being 5.5% more expensive than last year, and the price of milk has risen by 1.7%, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The data, based on the retail price index, shows the increased cost of some food staples, which is adding to the pressures facing households around the country.

Planning your shop ahead of time can not only save money but can also help you eat more healthily (image: Adobe)

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.”

What items have increased in price?

Pasta products saw their prices go up 10.1% year-on-year having already jumped 14.9% in January 2022 as a result of poor wheat harvests in 2021.
Meat has gone up in price across the board, with lamb (16.9% up), beef (8.6%) and poultry (7.3%) all seeing large increases.
Eggs (8.6%) and butter (9.6%) have also seen hikes.
Oils and fats have seen rises of 18.1% off the back of a 34.8% increase in the margarine and vegetable fats sub-category - a change that has been driven by the war in Ukraine.
Non-alcoholic drinks saw inflation hit 5.1%
Petrol prices hit a fresh record of 147.6p a litre in February, compared with 120.2p a litre a year earlier.
Salmon fillets have almost doubled in price as of March 2021.
Fruit prices have gone up 5.4% against March 2021 - although this marked a month-on-month decrease of 0.8% and a decrease of 1.5% since January 2022.
Vegetables and potatoes are 4.8% more expensive than they were last year, but this is 1.2% down against December 2021.
Meat prices have gone up 3%, with the cost of lamb rising a whopping 14%

Cost of living crisis: these basic household items have rocketed in price over the past year

What items have increased in price?