The \u201cgrim milestone\u201d would mean that the price growth witnessed over nearly two decades before the crisis will have been achieved in just over five years \u2013 almost quadrupling the pace of food inflation<\/a>, the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) think tank said.<\/p>\n A combination of extreme weather driven by climate change<\/a>, global supply disruptions<\/a>, and continued exposure to volatile oil and gas markets had compounded pressures on the food system<\/a>.<\/p>\n Analysis shows the cost of staples like pasta, frozen vegetables, chocolate, eggs and beef are all up between 50 per cent and 64 per cent. Olive oil is up 113 per cent. <\/p>\n The rises reflect sensitivity to volatile oil and gas prices, synthetic fertiliser costs and climate impacts such as droughts, floods, and heatwaves, both in the UK and in key import regions.<\/p>\n Together, these forces had pushed household food bills up by an average of \u00a3605 over 2022 and 2023, with energy shocks accounting for \u00a3244 of this, the ECIU said.<\/p>\n More recently, five climate-impacted foods \u2013 butter, milk, beef, chocolate and coffee \u2013 have been responsible for much of the continued pressure on food inflation, with the price of these foods rising over four times faster than other food and drink.<\/p>\n Chris Jaccarini, food and farming analyst at the ECIU, said: \u201cTrump\u2019s war in the Middle East<\/a> is set to drive shopping bills higher as oil and gas prices spike.<\/p>\n \u201cScientists are predicting 2027 to be the hottest year on record, with climate change combining with the El Ni\u00f1o effect kicking off this year. Three of England\u2019s worst harvests on record have been in the past five years.<\/p>\n \u201cUnless we get to net zero emissions to stop climate change and bring balance to the system, food prices will spiral ever further, but net zero also means burning less oil and gas, so insulating our food system from the kind of price spikes we\u2019ve been seeing since Russia invaded Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n The ECIU said the projected 50 per cent increase would mean that many households would continue to feel the strain well beyond the initial phase of the cost-of-living crisis, with food remaining one of the most visible and unavoidable expenses.<\/p>\n Anna Taylor, executive director of the Food Foundation, said: \u201cFood prices rising this high and this fast leaves families on the lowest incomes with nowhere left to cut except the food on their plate.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen that happens, people skip meals, children go hungry, and diet-related illness rises \u2013 taking parents out of work and piling pressure on an NHS<\/a> that can least afford it.<\/p>\n \u201cThis conflict is the latest shock in a series, and there will be more. The question for Government isn\u2019t just how to respond to this crisis \u2013 it\u2019s whether we\u2019re finally going to build a food system resilient enough to withstand the next one.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"UK](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/02111812-5d119265-dfff-45c1-8973-1c3b501abcc5.jpg\")
UK food prices are on track to be 50 per cent higher by November (Alamy\/PA)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1fbd6f83184015a632dc02f70b0eb205Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzc3NTQ3MTU2-2.20068301.jpg\")
The conflict in the Middle East is set to drive shopping bills higher as oil and gas prices spike (PA)<\/p>\n