Bridget Phillipson responds to the increased cost of children’s lunches

Cost of children’s lunchbox up by an estimated 10% as cost of living crisis hits families’ pockets

As children head back to school today, families are facing increasing financial pressure with the cost of living crisis pushing-up the price of a child’s lunchbox by an estimated 11%.

Comparing the cost of food items such as juice drinks, cheese, and cake slices in a national supermarket chain with the price of the same items last year, shows an £60 increase in the cost of lunchboxes for two children over the school year.

Among the items seeing the biggest price increase, apples have gone up 23%, sliced cheese 14% and fruit bars 13%.

HGV driver shortages and a lack of food processing and distribution staff are driving these rising food bills alongside increasing energy costs pushing up the price of food manufacturing, across supermarkets.

The increase in families’ food bills is coming alongside an energy price hike and the Conservatives’ cut to universal credit which has left 6 million families £20 a week worse off.

Bridget Phillipson MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, said:

“Bills are rising, and household budgets being stretched.

“Yet, instead of helping families to get by the Conservatives have taken £20 a week out of families’ pockets and are making things worse with their unfair tax hikes.

“Labour would ease the pressures on working families by scrapping VAT on household energy bills this winter.”

A comparison of prices for lunchbox items on the Tesco website today and last year, finds the cost has gone up 11%, delivering an annual increase in cost of £30.69. Lunchbox items are based on the ‘Packed lunches should include’ guidance from Children’s Food Trust.