The SNP has said the Tory government is failing millions of families by refusing to act on the cost of living crisis – as new research shows UK food prices are rising at the fastest rate in more than a decade.
Research by Kantar found UK grocery prices have risen by 7% in the past four weeks compared to a year ago – the fastest increase since 2009.
It found soaring food prices are now the second biggest concern for families, after energy bills.
In the study, 22% of households described themselves as “struggling” to make ends meet – and nine in ten cited the rising price of the weekly shop as a concern.
Separately, polling by YouGov has found two in five people have been forced to reduce spending on clothes, eating out, non-essential food items and takeaways over the past six months, and one in five one in five has cut spending on day trips, holidays and fuel.
Commenting, SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson Kirsty Blackman MP said:
“The Tory government is failing families, and pushing millions of people into poverty and hardship, by refusing to act on the soaring cost of living crisis.
“At a time when households desperately need help, this arrogant and out of touch Westminster government is failing to lift a finger and leaving struggling families in the lurch.
“It’s essential Rishi Sunak brings forward an emergency budget to reverse rising levels of UK poverty and mitigate the damage caused to incomes by Tory cuts, tax hikes and Brexit – including reversing his £1040 cuts to Universal Credit.
“The Tories will not be forgiven if they leave families with no help in the face of the biggest economic crisis in a decade.”
