Food for thought

Consumer watchdogs predicted a €500 fall in shopping bills when the Groceries’ Order was axed two years ago. So what went wrong, asks Paul Kelly.

LISTENING to the chatter on the streets, you’ll often hear the cry: “Food’s never been so expensive.”

And this time, the shopper is entirely right: inflation figures show food prices have risen 8.5% in the past 12 months, adding about €13.26 to the average family’s weekly bill of €168.96.