SHOPPERS are paying up to 80 per cent more for supermarket essentials such as cheese, potatoes, and bread, new research has revealed.

The analysis, from consumer champions Which?, compared how prices at leading UK supermarkets, including Aldi, Asda, Tesco and Lidl, have changed over the last 12 months.

Porridge oats had risen by the most, with a 35.5 per cent increase across the eight supermarkets tested.

Semi-skimmed milk saw the second highest rise with a 33.6 per cent price increase.

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While cheddar cheese was next on the list with a 28.3 per cent increase.

Though at Asda, Dragon Welsh Mature Cheddar 180g rose by 80 per cent, from £1 to £1.80.

The other supermarkets included in the Which? research were Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Ocado.

Across all eight supermarkets, Which? found that food and drink inflation rose by 17.2 per cent in March, up from 16.5 per cent the previous month.

Sue Davies, Which? head of food policy, said: “Our latest supermarket food and drink tracker paints a bleak picture for the millions of households already skipping meals of how inflation is impacting prices on supermarket shelves, with the poorest once again feeling the brunt of the cost of living crisis.

“While the whole food chain affects prices, supermarkets have the power to do more to support people who are struggling, including ensuring everyone has easy access to basic, affordable food ranges at a store near them, particularly in areas where people are most in need.

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“Supermarkets must also provide transparent pricing so people can easily work out which products offer the best value.”

An Asda spokesperson told Which?: “We’re working hard to keep prices in check for customers despite global inflationary pressures and we remain the lowest-priced major supermarket – a position recognised by Which? in their regular monthly basket comparison which has named Asda as the cheapest supermarket for a big shop every month for the last three years.

“We recently announced we would be freezing the prices of over 500 popular branded and own label products, more than half of which are fresh meat, dairy, fruit and vegetable products until the end of May.”

A Sainsbury's spokesperson added: “With costs going up, we are working hard to keep prices low. In the last two years, we have invested over £550 million into lowering prices as part of our goal to put food back at the heart of Sainsbury’s.

“We're committed to doing everything we can to support customers with the rising cost of living. Through initiatives such as our Aldi Price Match campaign, Price Lock and My Nectar Prices, customers can find low prices on the products they buy most often both in stores and online – including: butter, broccoli, cabbage, and carrots.

“Our focus on value means that all our customers will find great deals when they shop with us and do not need to go anywhere else to get the best prices on their weekly shop.”

An Ocado spokesperson said: “At Ocado, everything we do starts with our customers and we know how important value is to them right now.

“We continue to support our customers by investing in price across branded and own-brand products.

“We've also recently introduced the Ocado Price Promise so customers can be sure they’re getting great value.”

A Waitrose spokesperson told Which?: “As Which? highlighted last month, dairy is one of the categories most impacted by inflation, and no retailer is immune to this.

“We’re working hard to keep our prices as low as possible, whilst paying our farmers and suppliers fairly, and maintaining high animal welfare standards.”