If you've noticed yourself spending more money on groceries, you're not alone.
What's happening?
According to the BBC, food and non-alcoholic drink prices increased 4.9% from January to July 2025 in the United Kingdom.
The increased expenses at grocery stores represent a larger trend. Over the past five years, food prices have climbed about 37% in the U.K. However, this trend is not exclusive to the U.K.; grocery prices have also been on the rise in the U.S.
Items like orange juice, eggs, chicken, and beef are all nearly 10% more expensive than they were one year ago, according to NBC.
While policies vary across countries, rising temperatures and extreme weather events have contributed to the global increase in grocery costs.
Drought in the U.K., for example, produced lower crop yields in 2025, forcing farmers and businesses to pass costs onto their customers in order to stay afloat themselves.
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Jane Matthews, who serves as the operations director for the Ice Cream Farm in Cheshire, England, told the BBC her business has had to absorb these impacts.
"We're being squeezed on all corners," Matthews said.
Why are rising costs at grocery stores concerning?
Rising prices at the grocery store mean people are spending more money on food. An Associated Press poll found 86% of Americans experience stress about the cost of groceries.
These costs hit low-income individuals the hardest, with 64% describing them as a "major stressor," per AP News.
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Every day 😥 These individuals spend a larger share of their income on groceries, Resolution Foundation Economist Lalitha Try told the BBC, so rising prices affect them most.
While those with higher incomes have options to save money at the store, many low-income communities are already making such decisions.
Unfortunately, rising temperatures and extreme weather events will continue to spike costs for everyone and impact the supply chain if unaddressed. Food prices are the second-most noticeable climate impact in people's lives, CNN explained, behind only hotter temperatures.
What's being done about the cost of groceries?
Experts predict the price of groceries will continue to increase with temperatures. However, there are ways to save money on the weekly food shop in the meantime, such as planning meals in advance and making the most out of leftovers.
Services like Too Good To Go also offer items at discounted prices while eliminating food waste.
Looking toward the future, mitigating the effects of rising temperatures –– like drought –– by reducing planet-warming pollution will create more resilient food systems and a healthier, more affordable future for all.
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