Dishes such as Sunday Roast and Victoria Sponge have increased well over and above the rate of inflation. Credit: Andrey_Kuzmin via Shutterstock.

UK retail sales have surged in recent months, with food sales showcasing an impressive growth rate of 8.2% in August 2023, a year-on-year growth.

In turn, the British Retail Consortium finds that food inflation has been slowing down in 2023, which is good news for consumers.

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But consumers continue to feel the pinch of inflation, and according to online payments platform Payset, so do the nation’s most famous food dishes.

Payset’s research finds that food dishes such as Sunday Roast and Victoria Sponge have increased well over and above the rate of inflation over the last ten years.

The company looked at popular restaurants and cafes across the UK and used the Historic inflation calculator to check price differences across the last half-century, alongside inflation rates.

Yorkshire Pudding

To enjoy a Yorkshire Pudding in 1973, it would have cost just £0.38. Today, it costs £6 to eat this dish from Dakota Grill, a place with the UK’s first menu dedicated to Yorkshire puddings. This means that the price of a Yorkshire Pudding has increased by 1478.95% in the last 50 years, which is 7.86% more than the inflation between those periods. A big increase in prices could be spotted in the last ten years, with the pudding at £4.27 in 2013 – a 40.5% increase compared to 2023.

Sunday Roast

To enjoy a traditional Sunday Roast in one of Britain’s most famous carvery spots, Toby Carvery, you’d need around £13.49 today. The price has increased by 40.37% since 2013, when a Sunday Roast at the same establishment could be enjoyed for just £9.61. However, the price increase remains below the inflation between 2013 and 2023, which is 40.41%. A half-decade ago, you could buy a Sunday Roast for 1468.6% less at just £0.86 – 2.49% below the inflation rate between 1973 and 2023.

Fish and Chips

Fish and Chips are the centrepiece of British cuisine. It costs around £12.77 for this dish to be enjoyed at Whiteheads Fish & Chips, a chippy that won the title ‘Fish & Chip Takeaway of the Year’ in 2023. This price is 40.48% higher than in 2013 and 1476.54% higher than 50 years ago. For this specific dish, the price increase over the years seems to be higher than the actual inflation rate.

Victoria Sponge

The second most popular dessert adored by British people is Victoria Sponge. Brits can pay around £19.95 for one at Primrose Bakery, a well-known bakery in London. The price of this delicious cake has increased by 40.39% since 2013, when it cost £14.21, and by 1470.87% since 1973, when a family could enjoy it for just £1.27. Compared with the inflation rate between 2013-2023 and 1973-2023, which is 40.41% and 1471.09%, the price remains slightly cheaper.