Skyrocketing BBQ Costs: Unpacking the Surge in UK Food Prices

The pleasant plans for spontaneous barbecues are being thwarted not only by unpredictable weather but also by the rising costs of essential BBQ items like burgers, sausages, and chicken.

For instance, a pack of four own-brand beef quarter-pounders from supermarkets now costs about £4, reflecting a 53% increase, or an additional £1.37, compared to last year’s prices, data from Assosia shows. As steak and kebabs become increasingly unaffordable, many in the UK are opting for chicken instead.

This surge in demand for chicken is causing its price to rise as well. A 600g package of chicken thighs now retails for £5.54, up 13% or 64p from last year, according to average prices at leading supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, and Morrisons.

Since the beginning of the year, prices for meat and poultry products have been climbing, creating what Andrew Keeble, managing director and founder of Heck Sausages, calls a “perfect storm.”

Factors such as avian flu and a push for better living conditions for chickens, which limits the number of birds per shed, have driven chicken prices from £2.85 per kilo two years ago to £5.50 today. Keeble supports these welfare improvements but points out the challenge: not enough sheds to meet demand, which is driving prices “through the roof,” he explained to the BBC.

The financial strain extends beyond meat, affecting other barbecue essentials. The cost of cheese slices and brioche buns has increased, Assosia reports.

Soft drinks are also becoming pricier, driven by a significant hike in the cost of polymer plastics used in packaging—more than doubling since November 2024—as well as increases in the prices of sugar and fruit concentrates.

Recent data from the British Retail Consortium indicates that food prices climbed 4% in July year over year, up from a 3.7% increase in June and surpassing the three-month average rise of 3.5%.

Helen Dickinson, CEO of the BRC, commented that families are surely feeling the pinch with grocery bills climbing for the sixth month in a row, with staples like meat and tea experiencing some of the largest hikes due to tighter global supplies, driving overall shop prices higher.

These same pressures are affecting the food and drink costs in bars and restaurants, with the CGA Prestige foodservice price index noting a 2% increase in June alone.

This rise in inflation poses yet another hurdle for the hospitality sector during the vital summer months, according to Reuben Pullan, senior insight consultant at CGA by NIQ. He noted that alongside their own rising labor costs and cautious consumer spending, this forces many businesses to further increase their menu prices.