Sizzling Surges! Average Cost Of A Barbecue Increases By 23% In Five Years

Average Cost Of A Barbecue Increases By 23% In Five Years

Summer may be even more miserable in the UK than usual this year, but one thing remains constant. Come August, Brits across the country will be dusting off the barbecue with the slightest hint of sunshine.

With rising costs across the board recently, however, the experts at Moneyzine.com pondered: just how much will the classic barbecue set the average household back this year?

We analysed ONS data to find the average cost of traditional barbecue ingredients this year, and compared the prices to last year and five years ago.

The cost of a barbecue (based on traditional barbecue items listed above) has increased by 23.4% in the last five years, from £72.82 to £89.89 in total. In the last year alone, the cost of the same barbecue ingredients have increased by approximately £10.48.

Meat driving costs up

It goes without saying that meat is one of the most popular items to appear on a barbecue menu - but it’s also one item that’s significantly increased in price in the last five years.

Since 2018, the cost of a 4 pack of burgers has increased by a staggering 67.5%, and by 31% YOY. That means they went from £2.00 to £2.55 between 2018 and 2022, then rising to £3.35 this year.

Next up are pork chops, which have also increased by 47.4% in the past five years from £5.80 to an eye-watering £8.55. It’s safe to say that this is one item that might be neglected from the family barbecue for many in 2023!

In fact, the top five barbecue items that have seen the biggest price increase in the last five years are all meat items, with the exception of lemonade, which has peculiarly risen from 68p to 95p.

It is thought that the significant spike in food prices, especially meat, can be attributed due to the war in Ukraine last year. Although prices are showing signs of stabilising now, costs still remain high.

Meat-alternatives also on the rise

Vegetarian and vegan options have grown significantly more popular in the last five years. The volume of meat substitutes, for example, grew from 309.2 million kilograms in 2018 to 840.42 million kilograms in 2023 - but how do price increases fare?

The cost of vegetarian burgers has increased by 28% in the last five years, from just £1.78 in 2018 to £2.28 in 2023. In just one year, the cost has increased by 11% - up from £2.05.

Other price rises

Every item featured above has increased in price in the last five years. Prawns, surprisingly, have increased in price the least - with a total increase of 11% in five years. However, the cost was relatively high from the start, at £16.32 in 2018 and up to £18.11 in 2023.

Cans of lager, a staple at many British barbecues, have also had a small price increase compared to other ingredients mentioned on this list. The price rose from £11.24 in 2018 to £12.50.

“Grocery inflation may have shown small signs of stabilisation in the past few months, but the facts are clear: prices have risen more sharply in the past year than in the four years previously. Many households are left desperately trying to stretch their budget has inflation has left weekly grocery bills rising in cost far quicker than the rise in wages.

Although it’s a positive sign that inflation has eased this quarter, food prices are still far too high. Thousands of families are still struggling to make ends meet - getting inflation down needs to be a key priority in the coming months.”

Jonathan Merry, personal finance expert at Moneyzine.com

Jonathan Merry

Jonathan Merry, personal finance and remittance expert at Moneyzine.com.

Methodology

This data was sourced from the Office for National Statistics, which provides a real-world insight into the prices we are all paying for 450 everyday items and services now versus previous years by tracking the average prices over five years.