Tesco raises ‘meal deal’ price for first time in over a decade

LONDON (Reuters) – Tesco, Britain’s biggest supermarket group, has hiked the price of its popular lunchtime “meal deal” for the first time in over ten years as it is forced to respond to rampant cost inflation.

The grocer said on Friday the price of the deal, which typically brings together a sandwich, a packet of crisps and a soft drink, will from Oct. 24 go up from 3 pounds ($3.34) to 3.40 pounds for members of its Clubcard loyalty scheme.

Tesco said over 70% of its customers currently use a Clubcard when buying a lunchtime meal deal.

The price of the deal for those without a Clubcard will go up from 3.50 pounds to 3.90 pounds.

Shoppers have been hammered by rising food inflation, which hit a record 13.9% in September, according to industry data.

Tesco, which is facing extreme cost headwinds, particularly energy, labour and currency, says it is “inflating a little bit less and a little bit later” than competitors.

Earlier this month it forecast full-year profit at the lower end of its previous guidance, blaming uncertainty over how consumer spending will evolve amid a worsening cost-of-living squeeze.

Tesco said a number of meal combinations would cost more than 6 pounds if purchased separately.

In July, McDonald’s hiked the price of its cheeseburger for the first time in 14 years.

($1 = 0.8991 pounds)

(Reporting by James Davey; editing by Sarah Young)