LOVERS of oven chips are feeling cut up — with prices rocketing by up to 75 per cent.
Potato and cooking oil production has plummeted in the past year, driving up costs for the frozen dinnertime faves.
AlamyThe cost of oven chips has risen by an average of 22 per cent at major supermarkets[/caption]
Analysts found own-brand oven chips have risen by an average of 22 per cent at the major supermarkets.
The biggest rise was a 75.6 per cent increase for a 1.5kg bag of Sainsbury’s Steak Cut Chips — up from £1.19 to £2.09.
Most expensive was Morrisons Homestyle at £2.39 for 1.2kg, though it was only 4.4 per cent dearer than last year.
Tesco Homestyle Straight Cut chips have remained at the same price, £1.85 for 950g, over the 12 months, according to analysis from Assosia.
Among branded versions, McCain Crispy French Fries (1.4kg) went up 7.5 per cent from a higher price of £4 to £4.30.
Rising costs have hit the potato industry with farmers switching to more profitable crops.
Production has dropped by about 20 per cent in the past year, experts say.
Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine has limited supplies of cooking oil from what is one of the world’s biggest producers.
Supermarkets told The Grocer mag that they were committed to keeping food inflation in check.