Potato prices soar over the last month thanks to UK's bad weather

Potato prices have soared, with some lines up by as much as 22% over the last month.

The terrible weather is to blame - it has affected potato supply, analysis of Assosia data by The Grocer has revealed.

Core lines of maris piper potatoes across the major multiple supermarkets between January 8 and February 12 saw significant rises, including in Lidl, Waitrose, Aldi, Tesco, and Sainsbury's.

Sainsbury’s British Maris Piper Potatoes (2kg) saw the biggest monthly price hike, up 22.2%, from £1.35 per bag in the second week of January to £1.65 per bag last week.

Tesco also saw rises over 20%, with its equivalent pack increasing by 21.3% in the same period.

The retailer pointed to “challenging growing conditions” prompted by the wet weather and said it was working to support farmers, growers and suppliers, and had broadened its specifications to take more crop.

Inflation also remains a problem for the price of fruit, vegetables, and dairy in the UK.

The average price of pasta and couscous was up 10.8% in the year to January compared with a rise of 6.6% in the year to December, while fruit and vegetable juices were up 12.2% compared with 10.4%, according to Consumer Prices Index (CPI) data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Two food staples have also seen inflation quicken: eggs, up 7.2% in January compared with a rise of 6.8% in December, and yoghurt, up 9.9% compared with 8.6%.

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