Bread is something we tend to take for granted. It sustains life.

So I thought I'd take a look at price rises of this staple by reviewing my online shop @woolworths invoices.

I focussed on one simple product:

Woolworths Wholemeal Soft Sandwich Bread.

My invoices reveal..

SEPT 2016. $1.50
MAY 2017. $1.50
MAR. 2020. $1.60
NOV. 2020. $1.60
JULY 2021. $1.70
JUNE 2022. $1.90
SEPT 2022. $2.20
APRIL 2023. $2.20
👇
TODAY. 😡😡 $2.70

The price of a basic house brand wholemeal soft sandwich bread loaf has increased $1.10 through the pandemic.

This is a 69% price hike in three years!!!
With a steep rise this month.

I guess I'll look at milk next..

#RaiseTheRate @JEChalmers

#auspol

@JEChalmers I looked at bread.
How about cheese?

A 1kg block of tasty cheese has ⬆️ 30% in price in the past 3 years, sitting at $10, many alt. brands far exceed this.

How can people struggling in poverty afford cheese, an important source of protein & calcium, regularly?

#RaiseTheRate

Alright Mr Chalmers, I'm just getting started!

Let's talk frozen peas.

These are highly nutritious and should be affordable to everyone.

They have risen 35% through the pandemic at @Coles for a house brand 1 kg.

#RaiseTheRate

@Coles Now let's look at a specialty milk.

Imagine you are lactose intolerant, pretty common, not your fault!
So you buy entry level lactose free milk every few days. What do my invoices show?

⬆️ 55% in price through the pandemic!

Way more than overall inflation @woolworths

@Coles @woolworths Alright.

Now for butter.

Here my records are letting me down. Clearly I buy this in person more than online.

Replies on butter welcome.

But I can say from my invoices that in June 2018 a 250g butter at Coles was $2.80.

Today? $4.30 !

Another basic food item that has soared.

@Coles @woolworths Let's take a look at apple juice.

Not the fancy fresh stuff, just garden variety, reconstituted house brand.

That's ⬆️ in price 30% in just over 12 months.

In conclusion, I cannot see how current social security payments are humane or adequate in terms of recent price rises of essential foodstuffs needed for a healthy body.....

......we should have a national conversation about our supermarkets, essential food can rise 20% or more overnight without warning.

The fed gov should require input costs and explanation for price hikes above a prescribed % in a prescribed time period for essential food items.