RISHI Sunak has been challenged to get a grip on "out of control" inflation after the cost of everyday food essentials soared by up to 65 per cent over the last year.
The new Prime Minister, who was officially appointed by the King this morning, faces considerable economic issues to deal with as he enters 10 Downing Street.
New figures from the ONS show the cost of pasta has risen by 60 per cent in the year up to September, while the price of tea has risen by almost 50 per cent. Cooking oil is up by 65 per cent, bread by 38 per cent and chips 39 per cent.
The soaring costs are leaving many families struggling to put food on the table alongside rising mortgages, rents and energy bills with inflation now at a 40 year high.
Food banks have also warned of running out of supplies as more people turn to them to seek help.
Alison Thewliss, SNP Treasury spokeswoman, said: "The Tories have been a disaster for the economy. With every day, more damage unfolds.
"Under the Tories inflation has run out of control, mortgage rates are at their highest since the financial crash, and energy bills have more than doubled. We cannot go on like this. There must be a general election so voters can have their say on the way forward.
"After a decade of Tory cuts and Brexit damage, the UK already had the worst levels of poverty in north west Europe and many families were struggling to get by on stagnant incomes. Now this Tory economic crisis has become a full on emergency."
The rise in the cost of groceries has been partly caused by the war in Ukraine which disrupted grain, oil and fertiliser supplies from the region.
A surge in global demand caused by the ending of the Covid pandemic lock downs has also been blamed.
“While the recent spike in inflation began with energy prices, today’s fresh insights using a new innovative data source show they are now filtering through to other important items, with the cheapest price of some staple food items rising by around two thirds in the last year,” said national statistician Ian Diamond.
Earlier this year, campaigner Jack Monroe called on the ONS to update the way it measures inflation to better understand what impact rising prices have on the poorest households.
Some items also decreased in price. Orange juice dropped nine per cent and minced beef was down seven per cent.
The ONS also published separate data showing that 72 per cent of people with prepayment energy meters are finding it difficult to pay their bills.
Mr Diamond added: "Figures from our near real-time survey of people show that while rises in food and energy costs are affecting many people across the country, those who are disabled, from certain ethnic minority backgrounds and renters are among those struggling the most.
“With rises in the cost of living at the forefront of many people’s minds, our new, almost real time, data showing just how prices are changing and shining a light on how different groups are affected have never been more important."
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