Food price inflation in the UK rose to 3.7% in June, fueled by extreme weather disrupting fruit and vegetable harvests. This increase marks the first rise in shop price inflation in nearly a year. Hot and dry weather has reduced crop yields, demonstrating a growing impact of climate change on UK food prices. Seasonal fruits saw significant wholesale price increases, with gooseberries up 243% annually. Farmers are facing high costs from volatile weather, which led to nearly £1.2 billion in crop losses last year.
New figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) show annual food price inflation climbed to 3.7% in June, up from 2.8% in May. This marks the first overall rise in shop price inflation in nearly a year, as consumers continue to feel the squeeze from climate-related crop disruptions and wider cost pressures.
Retailers have directly linked the increase to hot, dry weather reducing crop yields, in a sign that the climate crisis is beginning to exert a more visible and lasting impact on UK food prices.
The steepest increases in wholesale prices were seen in seasonal fruits, with gooseberries up 243% annually, blackberries up 25%, raspberries up 15%, and apples and strawberries up 7% and 3% respectively.
Volatile and extreme weather patterns are becoming increasingly costly for UK farmers. In addition to the effects of drought and high heat, wet weather during key planting seasons caused almost £1.2 billion in crop losses last year, according to industry estimates.
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