Food and fuel prices increase sharply for third straight month

Mark Hitchcock, chief executive of Norfolk Citizens Advice, called on those in financial difficulty not to be shy or embarrassed, but see what help is available, stressing that “more and more people are falling into desperate times".

His intervention comes as data from our monthly inflation tracker reveals the average cost of petrol, diesel, chicken, eggs, milk and pasta have all increased monthly for three straight months.

The average cost of petrol at Norwich branches of the “big four” supermarkets is up 20 per cent since April, with diesel up 15pc to the verge of £2 a litre.

The average price of a kilo of chicken breast has gone up each time we have checked and is now 11pc higher than in April.

Egg prices have also risen relentlessly and are now up 8.5pc, as have pasta prices to nearly 16pc dearer than three months ago.

The average price of four pints of semi-skimmed milk has crept up and up from £1.26 to £1.43 in just 90 days - an increase of 13pc.

The cost of apples, broccoli, oven chips, pasta sauce, potatoes and beans are also moving upwards, with occasional in-store promotions which have made prices fluctuate.

A handful of groceries in our basket are holding broadly steady including bread, biscuits, wine and lager, while non-comestibles including toilet paper and deodorant have also not increased in price.

Prices at the discount grocery chains Aldi and Lidl continue to undercut their Big Four competitors in many cases, but there too prices are increasing month after month.

Norfolk Citizens Advice chief executive Mark Hitchcock. (Image: Archant)

Mr Hitchcock explained: “The Chancellor’s windfall payments, which should come out this week, will help some people keep their lights on, or their children fed, or put petrol in their car so they can get to work - but we need systemic change.

“We’ve never had so many people contacting us, we cannot keep up with the demand. Nationally our phone call system is overrun.

“I don’t have good news. We know inflation will increase and cost of living problems will grow in the winter. More and more people are falling into desperate times and the system is broken.

“We’re also having more and more people coming to us in distress who have never come to us before, never needed services like ours before.

“And you’re now seeing people relying on social supermarkets or a foodbank as a norm - not just dropping in. It’s where they do their weekly shop - they have to.”

A new social supermarket from the team behind The Feed charity opened this week in Hall Road in Norwich.

Groceries sold in the new social supermarket on Hall Road in Norwich will be available at subsidised prices to members. (Image: The Feed)

Norfolk Citizens Advice has also seen requests about fuel or energy bills jump 800pc, with many clients dealing with debt or money worries for the first time.

Mr Hitchcock said: “What I would say to people is: don’t ignore it.

“If you’ve got issues, come towards the services that are there. People worry about certain services - don’t worry about asking for help. That’s key.

“Make sure you’re getting all the benefits you should have, accessing hardship payments where possible, so I encourage people not to be shy or embarrassed, it’s important to get help when they need it.”

The Norfolk Assistance Scheme is available to adult residents who are in financial hardship and the Norfolk Household Support Fund makes grants of £50 per household available, predominantly for older people.

To contact Citizens Advice called 0800 144 8848 or go to ncab.org.uk.

A spokesman for Tesco said it was “absolutely committed to helping customers” and had increased the number of value items. Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s did not respond to requests for comment.