Pasta, bread, and crisps are among the budget food stapes to have seen the biggest price surges within the past year.
With the rising cost of living crisis continuing to make its impact felt across the UK, and with inflation having now hit the record 40-year high of 9%, campaigners are warning that the rise in cost for the cheapest supermarket staples could leave the country’s poorest families disproportionately hit.
New experimental data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) today showed prices for some low-cost groceries increased at a much faster rate than general inflation.
They were up by an average of 6-7% from April 2021 to April 2022.
The ONS said that it decided to compile the data by tracking price changes for the lowest-cost everyday groceries sold by supermarkets online after the anti-poverty campaigner Jack Monroe highlighted the increase in price of essential items and drew attention to the fact that value ranges had even disappeared from some shelves completely.
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Monroe argued that this meant the true cost of living hasn’t been reflected in inflation figures.
The ONS found that the prices of five items from a basket of 30 basics compiled by government statisticians had shot up by 15% or more – with the price of pasta jumping the most and recording an increase of 50% from a year earlier.
The price of the cheapest 500g packet of pasta was 53p last month, which is compared to 36p a year ago.
The ONS figures also highlighted above-average-inflation price rises for other staple food items including crisps (17%), bread (16%), minced beef (16%), and rice (15%).
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While there has been increases in some staples, the ONS did however say it discovered “considerable variation” among the 30 items it looked at, with potatoes having gone down in price by 14% on last year, as well as a 7% drop in the price of cheese, pizza (4%), and chips and sausages (3%).
Jack Monroe – who worked with the ONS on the data compilation – has taken to Twitter today to give her reaction on the figures, saying “it is far more expensive to be poor”.
Her tweet read: “The ONS have released new data today tracking the price rises of the lowest-cost grocery items over the last year, and – backing up my own research and evidence from January – the hikes in the value brands and basics have been much higher than average inflation stats.
The @ONSfocus@ONS have released new data today tracking the price rises of the lowest-cost grocery items over the last year, and – backing up my own research and evidence from January – the hikes in the value brands and basics have been much higher than average inflation stats..
“As I have said for 10 years now, and as many others have pointed out before and alongside me, it’s FAR more expensive to be poor, and now the literal experts in data gathering and statistics are helpfully, methodically, forensically backing that up.
“This feels like huge progress.”
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Monroe said that she is “very grateful to have been a part of this process”, and added that she hopes going forward, “MPs who set the uprating figures for benefits, and also discussions around a real living wage, will take this disparity into account”.
Police officer who sexually assaulted a child while on duty sacked
Daisy Jackson
A ‘morally reprehensible’ police officer who sexually assaulted a child while on duty has been sacked and barred from service.
GMP held an accelerated misconduct hearing with PC Dean Dempster, 35, and he has been dismissed without notice.
The disgraced officer admitted ‘sexually touching’ the six-year-old child in December 2023 and is set to be sentenced at a later date.
He was a response officer in Oldham at the time that the offence was reported, and was arrested by a supervisor when he returned to work the next day.
A senior officer has now said that Dempster ‘has no right to be in police uniform or in a position to serve the public’.
Another said it was ‘among the most distressing cases ever presented’ and a ‘despicable betrayal’ of police duties.
Dempster was convicted of sexually assaulting a young girl while responding to an incident on 29 December 2023.
He was convicted at Liverpool Crown Court in February and remained suspended since being charged at the end of last year.
Presiding over today’s hearing, CC Watson found PC Dempster’s conduct amounted to gross misconduct, saying: “This sexual assault occurred whilst the officer was on duty and where the victim was totally trusting and reliant on him performing his duties professionally, compassionately and with her welfare uppermost in his thoughts.
“It is this most egregious breach of trust of an innocent young child that is most upsetting aspect of this case and something that clearly amounts to an aggravating factor.
“I consider this case to be among the most distressing ever presented to me such is the despicable betrayal of all that is inherent in being a decent police officer.
“I have no hesitation whatsoever in dismissing PC Dempster from the service with immediate effect.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Mike Allen, head of GMP’s Professional Standards Directorate, said: “Dean Dempster is not a police officer, he’s a child sex offender who has no right to be in police uniform or in a position to serve the public.
“We have no time for people like Dempster who should not be in GMP and does not represent us.
“This is why we’re increasingly using accelerated misconduct hearings to root out and boot out officers who are unfit to serve in our uniform, and this work will continue while ever they remain.”
Dempster has been added to the College of Policing Barred List by Chief Constable Stephen Watson, who described Dempster’s actions as ‘morally reprehensible’.
GMP used accelerated proceedings as part of its pledge to ‘root and boot’ officers unfit to serve the public.
The force is now writing to the Deputy Mayor of GM to appeal for Dempster to lose his right to a police pension.
Manchester City reveals details around the first Andy’s Man Club sessions at the Etihad Stadium
Danny Jones
Manchester City have released the first details surrounding their inaugural Andy’s Man Club sessions at the Etihad Campus.
One of the most important charities in the UK when it comes to male mental health and suicide prevention, Andy’s Man Club and even its logo alone have become a recognisable force for good over the past few years, and the significance of bringing it to such a big scale as City cannot be overstated.
The football club first announced the partnership back in February and has already been working closely with the non-profit organisation to promote better wellbeing amongst men, getting first-team stars such as defender John Stones to open up about his own experiences with mental health just last month.
With that in mind, the word is now out that Man City will be providing yet another location for groups to meet and crucially talk through Andy’s Man Club sessions, confirming details around their first meeting from next week onwards.
It's less than two weeks before @andysmanclubuk launches at the Etihad Stadium! 🩵👌
Before we open doors on the 13th May, our fans sat down to share their experiences 💭
Set to kick off in the East Stand of the Etihad Stadium from 7-9pm on Monday, 13 May, Man City will not only help deliver a vital outlet for men in the East Manchester area but become just the latest in a long line of teams to back the regular support group.
Joining over 180 clubs nationwide – including the likes of Altrincham FC, Ashton United and Bolton Wanderers, just to name a few in the Greater Manchester area – Andy’s Mans Club is currently helping well over 4,000 men open up and combat their struggles through peer-to-peer sessions.
Founded by a group of nine blokes from Halifax back in 2016 to create positive change in men’s mental health, Andy’s Man Club now helps gather men aged 18 and over across the country every week throughout the year.
In alignment with other partnered clubs Andy’s Man Clubs across the country, attendees will be asked to arrive from 18:30 (UK) ahead of the 19:00 start time.
We’re excited to be launching an Andy's Man Club at the Etihad Stadium next month 🩵
Ahead of the first session, John Stones sat down to find out what it is all about 🙌
The sessions are free with registration or ID required and, more importantly, there’s no pressure to talk if you don’t want to. The first step is easy: just listen.
Just because it’s being held at City’s ground doesn’t mean you have to be a season ticket holder, have an official Cityzens membership to attend or anything like that, you can simply arrive via the East Stand reception (Door F) and join the session.
Attendees will be greeted on arrival by trained volunteers from Andy’s Man Club who will guide them through the stadium. With the club now on board, group sessions will be running at the same time every week (except bank holiday Mondays) with the first dates scheduled for the following nights this month:
Monday 13 May
Monday 20 May
Monday 3 June
Monday 10 June
Well done to all those involved in bringing Andy’s Man Club to Manchester City and the East Manchester community. We hope the sessions will help those going along as they have done for thousands of others.