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As summer arrives, the familiar aromas of charcoal and sizzling meat often evoke memories of barbecues and outdoor gatherings. Yet, rising costs are making such meals less accessible for many households. The upward surge in prices affecting items like burgers, bread buns, and salad—the core components of a classic barbecue—has been dubbed “burgerflation.” Recent Consumer Price Index (CPI) data reveals significant increases in these products since last summer, prompting questions about whether farmers and producers are benefiting financially from these rises.
Heather Oldfield, a cattle farmer based near Boston in Lincolnshire, offers insight into the situation from the perspective of livestock producers. Despite Lincolnshire’s reputation as England’s breadbasket, rich in both crop production and livestock farming, Heather reports that farmers are receiving less for their beef than before. Her family manages a herd of 200 cattle, primarily supplying meat to Morrison’s butchery, which produces a variety of products including burgers. The Agricultural Price Index (API) data from April reflects an 8% drop in the prices farmers like Oldfield are paid for beef over the previous year, whereas shoppers faced a 9% increase in beef prices in May. Heather expresses concern about the future, mentioning the challenge of maintaining the farm as a viable business for her daughters who hope to become farmers, all while grappling with considerable uncertainty.
Turning to the bread element of the quintessential barbecue, Phil Clayton, a baker operating in York with his wife, gives a first-hand view of how price changes impact businesses further down the supply chain. Although customers saw a 2% increase in bread roll prices in May, wheat farmers experienced a slight decline of 0.3% in what they were paid in April, according to the API. Phil emphasizes that his bakery is not reaping extra profits from these price changes. Instead, he justifies recent price hikes of 10p to 20p per product as necessary to cover the increased costs of rent, wages, National Insurance, transportation, and flour—many of which have grown due to inflationary pressures.
Flour production, represented by Robert Archer, a mill manager from Kirkbymoorside, further illustrates the strain on agricultural businesses. Robert notes that rising haulage expenses have compelled his mill to raise prices on organic flour, which it produces using over 400 tonnes of locally grown wheat annually. The flour from this mill supplies customers including Phil Clayton’s bakery. Despite the price adjustments, the mill owner, Nelly Trevelyan, highlights how maintaining organic farming methods helps reduce certain input cost increases, such as those linked to fertilisers and pesticides. However, she also points out that many consumers often opt for cheaper industrially farmed food products, which are produced using more intensive—and often less sustainable—methods.
Salad producer Mathew Brankley from Snaith in East Yorkshire offers a perspective from vegetable farming. While he affirms that food prices in the UK remain relatively affordable compared to some international markets, the economic reality is complex. Vegetable growers received 12.6% more for their produce in April compared to a year earlier, and yet shoppers paid 8% more in May. Brankley explains that any additional income is largely offset by rising costs for fuel and fertilisers, with multiple parties taking a share before payment reaches the farmers themselves. Despite these challenges, Brankley expresses a strong commitment to his work, stating, “I wouldn’t do anything else because I enjoy it so much.” In response to farming pressures, a Defra spokesperson notes government efforts including
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