The shopping crunch

[AB Asks]

It seems to be all we hear about at the moment - credit crunches and the like. Now it appears that not only are our energy bills soaring so are our food bills. Over the last year prices have risen faster than anytime since 1991. Six pints of milk this time last year would have cost �1.68, but now costs around �1.96. What do you think? Will you struggle with these rising costs? Or have you not even noticed these increases?

[heathfield]

I noticed that...
The price of butter in Tesco has recently increased by around 20%. It's said that this is because European farmers are having to pay double for the grain used as feed for their cattle over the winter.
On the label of Anchor butter from New Zealand, it clearly states that it comes from cows 'fed on grass the whole year round', yet this butter has gone up in price by around the same amount!
Hmmm.

[factor-fiction]

Surely you are mistaken.... it has been announced today by the Treasury that the cost of living has apparently risen by only 2.5% over the last 12 months!