When did you begin to notice the rising cost of food?
While the likes of Tim Lang have been sounding the warning bell for years, most of us only became aware of a gradual increase over the last couple of years. But this year has felt much tighter - when we asked back in January, it seemed that most Word of Mouth readers had noticed the rising costs.
Earlier this month saw the sharpest rise yet. According to moneysupermarket.com, bread now costs 20% more than last year, butter and rice have both risen by 60% and pasta by 81%. These latest rises have permeated most people's consciousness - in today's Guardian, Alex Beckett, from the Grocer, said that "people seem to have only just noticed".
With rising transport costs, some areas of the country are feeling the pinch more than others - particularly in the north and Scotland. At what point did you personally notice the increases and was it through media reports or as a result of keeping an eye on your weekly shopping bill? And what are you doing about it? To what extent have you changed your shopping habits - where you shop, and what you buy? Are fair trade and organic goods now an expensive luxury?
