Channel 4 Dispatches unveils supermarket recipe changes and biggest price rises
A new investigation has laid bare the truth about supermarket pricing, including big price increases and recipes of popular products being secretly changed to remove more expensive ingredients.
For its new documentary Less For More: The Truth About Food Prices, Dispatches has looked how inflation in supermarkets over the last two years has transformed the food we buy. One of the major problems it uncovered was "Skimpflation" which where recipes have secretly been changed to remove expensive ingredients but prices have risen or remained the same.
Notable examples included Jacob’s Mini Cheddars, which had 20% more cheese a couple of years ago and were almost a third cheaper back then. An Ella's Kitchen baby food product had seen a 21% reduction in calories, caused in part by a 7% drop in its milk content.
Food technologist Rob Winwood described this as a concern. He added: "We're also seeing a reduction in terms of the overall energy calorific value, and that could make a difference in terms of the nutrition of this particular pack.”
Morrisons Roast Beef Dinner and Yorkshire Pudding contained a quarter more Yorkshire Pudding and 15% more beef last year.
Meanwhile Tesco Beef Lasagne has gone from 23% beef to 19%, and mushrooms have now appeared on the ingredients list. Salt content is also up by a third.
Shop prices 'are yet to peak and will remain high' as inflation hits new heights
Heinz ketchup has increased by 50% (Dispatches/C4)Dispatches also showed how modified starches are used to thicken up a watery tomato sauce and can also reduce the expensive, and healthier, oil and egg content in budget mayonnaise. Data handed over by consumer watchdog Which?, which tracked prices across the eight major supermarkets, also showed the poorest in society were most affected by price hikes.
The analysis showed budget and value ranges, often bought by people in lower income brackets, have risen in price more than twice as fast as supermarket premium ranges in twelve months. This means a £50 basket of value products has gone up by £11.50, whereas one filled with premium products would have risen by just £5.
But big brands have hiked prices too over the past two years, Dispatches found. Hellman’s mayo has increased by 58% over the last two years, more than the 51% average seen in own-branded mayonnaise, while Heinz ketchup has increased by 50% - more than the 41% increase seen in own-brands.
McVitie's Digestives have gone up by 40%, more than the average increase seen in own-brands. The competition and markets authority has noted that some big brands have increased prices by more than their own costs have gone up.
Consumer journalist Harry Wallop (Dispatches/C4)Earlier this year, grocery inflation hit record heights of 17%. While this has tumbled down to 9.1% according to recent figures from analysts Kantar, food prices on average are almost a third more expensive than two years ago. Sue Davies, Which? head of food policy, said: “Our research highlights the devastating impact high food prices are having on shoppers as more people are telling us they are skipping meals and using food banks to make ends meet ahead of Christmas.
"Budget-range foods have been hit hardest by inflation, but they are still the cheapest items on supermarket shelves. That's why we've been calling for supermarkets to help those who are struggling by making sure budget-range essentials are stocked in expensive convenience stores."
A spokesperson for Morrisons said: “This is an unprecedented period of inflation and we are working hard to keep prices down and competitive for our customers.” A Tesco spokesperson said: “We are always looking for ways to improve our recipes, not only to make them taste better, but also to provide products that are healthier for our customers and better for the planet.”
Jacobs said: “We reformulated Mini Cheddars by introducing a new cheese. With a stronger flavour, this required different amounts of cheese. We have also been dealing with inflationary pressures.” Ella's Kitchen said: "Following customer feedback we made changes to the texture of this product, along with others in the range, making a smoother texture for growing little ones who are just learning to chew. We did this by working with infant development experts to ensure the product still contains enough protein, vegetables, and calories."
A Kraft Heinz spokesperson said: “Price increases made over the last two years have always been below inflation, and we’ve absorbed costs where we could. “Despite soaring production costs and inflation remaining stubbornly high, we’re introducing ways to offer shoppers better value – including promotional activities on some of our iconic and most-loved products. We do not anticipate any new price increases at this time.”
- Less for More: The Truth About Food Prices – Dispatches airs on Channel 4 at 9pm, December 12
The products that have seen ingredient changes
- Ella’s Kitchen Chicken and veg with sweetcorn mash has gone from 12% to 10% chicken, sweetcorn is down from 29% to 19%, milk has dropped from 20% to 13% and calories have dropped by 21%. Price change: September 2021 - £1.50, December 2023 - £1.70.
- Jacob’s Mini Cheddars had 20% more cheese a couple of years ago, but they were almost a third cheaper. Price change: September 2021 - £1.75, December 2023 - £2.50.
- Morrisons Roast Beef Dinner and Yorkshire pudding had a quarter more Yorkshire pudding and 15% more beef last year. Price change - July 2022 - £3.70, December 2023 - £3.75.
- Tesco Greek Style Yoghurt has gone from 9.5% fat to 7.5% fat, while prices have gone from 50p in 2020 to £1.10. Price change - November 2020 – 50p, December 2023 - Dec 2023 - £1.10.
- Tesco Beef Lasagne has gone from 23% beef to 19%, and mushrooms have now appeared on the ingredients list. Price change - July 2022 - £4.00, December 2023 - £4.75.
- Morrisons The Best Lasagne Al Forno dropped from 30% to 26% of beef last year. Price change: July 2022 - £3.50, December 2023 - £4.25.
- Tesco Tartare sauce has less of the expensive fat and egg content than it used to. Price change: July 2022 - 40p, December 2023 - 90p.
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