Why we can't afford our staple diet.

Why we can't afford our staple diet.

From Mark and Pete by Mark and Pete

May 31, 2026 · 13 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the rising costs of staple foods and their impact on families amidst the cost-of-living crisis.

Bread. Eggs. Milk. Cheese. Butter. Baked beans. Not exactly the shopping list of an oligarch. Yet in recent years these everyday staples have become noticeably more expensive, and for many families the weekly shop now feels less like a routine errand and more like a minor financial event. In this episode of Mark and Pete, we look at the continuing rise in food prices and ask why so many people feel poorer even when politicians insist the economy is improving. The discussion begins with two humble items that have sat on British kitchen tables for generations: bread and eggs. Neither is remotely glamorous. Neither attracts much attention until the price starts climbing. Yet both have risen sharply since the cost-of-living crisis began, reflecting wider increases across the food supply chain. Along the way, Mark and Pete explore the economics of everyday life, the difference between inflation slowing and prices actually falling, and why ordinary people tend to judge the health of the economy by what happens at Tesco rather than what happens in Westminster. There is also a look at how rising food costs affect pensioners, young families and those on fixed incomes. After all, when…

People in this episode

Hosts: Mark, Pete

Topics covered

  • food prices
  • cost of living
  • economics
  • inflation
  • household budget
  • impact on families

Keywords

  • food prices
  • cost of living
  • inflation
  • household budget
  • staple foods
  • economic health

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Tesco, Westminster

Products: Bread, Eggs, Milk, Cheese, Butter, Baked beans

Places: British

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