Vegetable prices are set to rise five per cent in the coming months following this year’s extreme weather, research suggests.
The Centre for Economics and Business Research predicted that the cold, wet spring and hot, dry summer would push up each UK household’s grocery bill by £7.15 a month – a £45 million price rise for the nation as a whole.
The consultancy reported that from March to July the farm gate price of several vegetables and fruits rose by more than a quarter, with carrots up 80 per cent, lettuce up 61 per cent, onions up 41 per cent, and strawberries up 28 per cent.
Despite this, the organisation explained that commodity price rises can take 18 months to fully feed through into inflation and affect the consumer.
“So,while the worst of the recent heat may have passed, the cost to consumers looks set to climb,' the CEBR warned.
“Summer 2018 has been one of the warmest in living memory, with above average temperatures recorded since April and dry spells lasting more than 50 days in parts of the country,” the consultancy added.
“While this has made Britain’s weather more conducive to barbecuing, it looks set to raise the price of the food on the grill and the drink in hand”
Price rises are also expected in meat, dairy and wheat, with the extreme weather across Europe affecting grass growth, animal feed supplies and wheat yields.
