Why shopping around matters more than ever

We’ve been looking at our ‘Basket of Essentials’ on Prices.je, and how the cost of items has changed since we began regularly recording prices in 2022. Our data shows that while some grocery prices have stabilised in recent years, the overall cost of everyday shopping remains significantly higher than it was just a few years ago.

Our basket, which tracks the cost of 12 everyday household items across our six major retailers, highlights how price differences between supermarkets can have a substantial impact on household budgets.

In December 2022, the average cost of our Basket of Essentials, across all retailers, was £19.14.

By December 2023, that average had risen sharply to £22.56, representing an increase of almost 18% in just one year.

Although prices eased somewhat in December 2024 and remained relatively stable in December 2025, the July 2026 survey shows that the average cost of the basket is now £23.06 – a 20.5% increase in three years and seven months.

The spike seen in 2023 coincided with wider inflationary pressures affecting food, fuel, transport and supply chains across Europe and the UK. While inflation has moderated since then, many individual products remain noticeably more expensive than they were before the cost-of-living crisis. And some prices are likely to have increased this year due to factors such as the situation in the Middle East.

Which essentials have increased the most?

Looking at the cheapest price available for each item in our Basket of Essentials in December 2022 and comparing it with the cheapest price available in July 2026 highlights how much some everyday essentials have increased over the past four years.

The largest increase seen was in minced beef, where the lowest available price rose from £2.20 in 2022 to £5.30 in 2026, an increase of £3.10. This means that even consumers who are actively seeking out the best value option are paying significantly more for this staple household item than they were less than four years ago.

Tomatoes also recorded a notable increase. The cheapest available price rose from 97p in 2022 to £2.90. This increase of £1.93 makes tomatoes almost three times more expensive now than the lowest price recorded in 2022.

Other significant increases in the ‘cheapest’ price available include:

• Eggs: up from £1.15 to £2.75 (£1.60 increase)
• Butter: up from £1 to £2.58 (£1.58 increase)
• Toilet rolls: up from £1.39 to £2.75 (£1.36 increase)
• Bread: up from 87p to £1.45 (58p increase)

These figures demonstrate that, although overall basket prices have fluctuated from year to year, many individual essentials remain substantially more expensive than they were before the cost-of-living pressures experienced during recent years.

The fact that – even when choosing the cheapest available option – the cost of everyday necessities has risen so considerably, means that it is increasingly important for Islanders to compare prices regularly on Prices.je.

The current prices

Perhaps the most striking finding from the July 2026 survey is the difference between the cheapest and most expensive baskets.

• M&S offered the lowest-priced basket at £20.24.
• At the other end of the scale, Alliance recorded the highest basket total at £27.43.
• The difference between the two was £7.19, meaning that a shopper buying the same basket of items every week could spend around £374 more a year, simply by choosing one retailer over another.

Figures demonstrate that no single supermarket is cheapest on every product. A retailer may offer excellent value on one item while charging considerably more for another.

Apples is one of the clearest examples of the importance of shopping around. In July 2026, the price of a four-pack of apples ranged from £1.16 at Waitrose to £3.35 at Alliance – a difference of almost 190% for an everyday item.

Why comparing prices matters

Price differences can be substantial, even for basic essentials such as bread, eggs, potatoes and fruit.

At a time when many households continue to face pressures from housing costs, energy bills and general inflation, even modest savings on weekly shopping can make a meaningful difference over the course of a year.

Our Prices.je website remains the most useful tools available to Islanders for reliable price comparisons. The platform allows shoppers to compare prices across multiple retailers before leaving home, helping you to identify the best value options and make informed decisions before you go shopping.

As Jersey families continue to manage household budgets carefully, checking prices before shopping and making use of our price comparison site remains one of the simplest ways to reduce your household expenditure without compromising on essential purchases.

By regularly checking Prices.je, you can get to know where your staple items are cheapest and, where possible, buy them when you’re passing the relevant supermarket, rather than just getting everything in one large supermarket shop at the same time.

Check out our ‘Basket of Essentials’

To see the latest prices of the 12 items in our Basket of Essentials:

• Visit Prices.je
• Click on the ‘Groceries’ header
• Click on *Basket of Essentials (the top category in the list)