The rising cost of student staples significantly outpaces inflation. Our essentials basket of cheap basics, easy-to-assemble meals and booze cost 4.5% more than last year, compared with a 2.8% industry average for August [BRC-NIQ sales monitor].
Notable hikes included own-label rice pops, costing 11% more than this time last year, and own-label tomato and garlic pasta sauce at 9% dearer. But there is some relief for chili con carne lovers, as beef mince and kidney beans are among the nine items to cost less.
In the pricing competition, Morrisons’ £72.37 basket was the cheapest by a whisker. Last week it launched its Unbeatable prices commitment on 500 staples and was unbeaten for 19 SKUs this week. It cost notably less than last month (by 4%) thanks to promos including the Birds Eye chicken burgers.
Asda (£72.78) came just 41p behind Morrisons. It was marred by its promotional mix – only two price cuts and eight multibuys meant just 1.8% in savings on our basket. Its five exclusively cheapest items included Durex condoms and Strongbow cider.
Tesco also competed well (£73.07). Its exclusively cheapest items included a £6 bottle of Barefoot rosé on a Clubcard promo and Nutella spread. However Morrisons was 1% cheaper across the basket.
Sainsbury’s (£78.14) was further behind the pack this week, with Batiste dry shampoo its only exclusively cheapest product. It had the highest overall inflation with a basket that cost a punchy 9.3% more than this time this year.
Students pulling an all-nighter would pick up the cheapest can of Monster energy drink at Waitrose, but the upmarket retailer was otherwise uncompetitive on price across the shop. Its £86.79 basket cost 19.9% more than Morrisons’.
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