THE cost-of-living crisis is squeezing shoppers, as the price of everything from bread to crisps and pasta shoots up.
And today a Sun on Sunday probe shows that for the price of what many of us regularly fork out in a coffee shop, you can buy an entire basket of supermarket food.
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Many High Street coffee chains won’t give you much change out of a fiver for a drink and a snack.
Our daily coffee fix is getting more costly by the day. The price of an average Americano has increased by 12 per cent in the last three years as a result of inflation and supply chain problems.
And by cutting our daily coffee-and-snack treat, we could save around £1,500 a year.
Martyn James from The Sun on Sunday’s Squeeze Team says it is time to consider whether you really need that extra-fancy latte, as the money could be better spent elsewhere.
He said: “The cost-of-living crisis means making savings where you can — and with just a few lifestyle changes you could pocket a packet.
“Simply by dropping one of the more expensive daily takeout coffees, you could save a whopping £1,825 a year. And that fiver you save each day can buy you a whole lot more if you shop savvy from a supermarket.”
Martyn also warned that the ease of contactless payments does not help us to watch what we are spending.
“You’d be surprised how much money you’re racking up on coffee — cash which would go far further elsewhere,” he said. “So don’t just tap and go with contactless. Look at the amount you’re being billed and imagine what you could do with it.”
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At Greggs you can purchase plenty of food for £5 — including a sausage roll, doughnut, tea, wedges and crisps — and at McDonald’s you’ll get a Quarter Pounder and fries.
Meanwhile, spending a fiver at stores such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s gets you a full basket of staples including milk, bread, vegetables, fruit and snacks.
It comes as a new survey shows that the vast majority of households have seen prices rise across a range of foodstuffs in recent weeks.
Two thirds (66 per cent) of those polled say they have noticed the prices of meat products, including deli meats and fresh produce, have risen.
The YouGov study found that 17 per cent of us have seen major surges in the cost of these items in local shops while 28 per cent have seen moderate rises.
Russia’s war in Ukraine is responsible for many of the price jumps, as the two countries are among the world’s biggest suppliers of wheat.
Spending less on food
In addition, the price of gas, which is used to heat greenhouses and to make fertiliser — an essential element of food production — has soared.
Consumers have already started to cut back on food spending and reduce their use of gas and electricity at home, says the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
According to an extensive survey of more than 13,000 UK adults, as many as 83 per cent saw an increase in their cost of living last month, up from 62 per cent in November.
As utility bills and the weekly shop became more expensive, the ONS said 31 per cent were spending less on food. And half have cut back on non-essentials.
A spokesman for Costa Coffee noted that The Power Hazelnut Latte is “priced higher than our core coffee range”. Starbucks was also approached for comment.
Here, The Sun on Sunday examines what you get for your fiver — at coffee shops, on-the-go meals and in supermarkets.
Coffee & snack
Starbucks
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Frappuccino with whipped cream £4.30, gold chocolate coin 70p.
TOTAL: £5
Quick meals
Subway
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Classic meal deal — ham 6in sub, Walkers cheese-and-onion crisps, 16oz (470ml) soft drink.
TOTAL: £5.09
Pret
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Americano £2.60, Posh cheddar-and-pickle sandwich £2.40.
TOTAL: £5
McDonald’s
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Quarter Pounder with Cheese £3.69, medium fries £1.29.
TOTAL: £4.98
Co-op
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Texan-style BBQ chicken pizza £3.75, Pepsi Max can 60p, garlic baguette £1.15.
TOTAL: £5.50
Asda
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Chicken mayo sandwich £1.90, sushi selection £2.90, melon-and-grape selection (£1 but free with meal deal), Rainbow Laces sweets 25p.
TOTAL: £5.05
Greggs
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Sausage roll £1.05, doughnut £1.10, tea £1.10, southern fried wedges 90p, crisps 80p.
TOTAL: £4.95
Basket of shopping
Aldi
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Semi-skilled milk (2 pints) 95p, Toastie thick sliced white bread 55p, digestive biscuits 35p, Brooklea light Greek-style yogurts (x4) 85p, Essentials spaghetti hoops 13p, strawberry jam 28p, salt & vinegar 6-pack crisps 74p, two bananas 28p, British honey ham 79p.
TOTAL: £4.92
Sainsbury’s
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Baked beans 35p, medium white bread 60p, spaghetti 70p, Jam Sandwich Creams 50p, two bananas 32p, chopped tomatoes 28p, variety crisps (6-pack) 95p, carrots 40p, apple juice 90p.
TOTAL: £5
Tesco
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8 hot dogs 70p, lemonade (2ltr) 40p, 6 hot dog rolls 80p, McVitie’s 5 milk chocolate slices £1.45, cucumber 43p, baby potatoes £1.
TOTAL: £4.78
Easter gets that sinking feeling
By Sarah Arnold
EASTER eggs have been hit by shrinkflation and price rises as the nation’s households face historic pressure on their finances.
Chocoholics are getting less for their cash, with seasonal favourites up to a fifth lighter than last year but still costing the same price.
Nestle’s popular Smarties Buttons egg is 17 per cent smaller. It weighed 290g in 2021 and was priced £5, but this year weighs 240g and still costs a fiver at Morrisons.
Meanwhile, Galaxy’s Enchanted Eggs is 28g lighter than it was 12 months ago but still costs £3 at Tesco.
The Aero Peppermint milk chocolate large Easter egg has lost 22g and gone up from £3 to £5 at Tesco. Nestle’s KitKat Chunky milk chocolate egg with two bars is still £3 at Tesco — but weighs 12 per cent less.
The weight of Hotel Chocolat’s Extra Thick Rocky Road To Caramel Easter egg is still 490g but it is £1 dearer than last year, at a wallet-busting £30.
A spokesman for chocolate giant Nestle said the firm has not changed its recommended retail prices but admitted they had made “some small weight adjustments”.
Mars Wrigley stated it was not “immune” to inflationary pressures and had made the “difficult decision” to reduce the size of its Enchanted Eggs.
