In the United Kingdom, food prices hit an all-time high of +18%, causing a financial strain on households, exacerbated by Brexit. UNITE researchers analyzed the top 350 companies on the London Stock Exchange, revealing that the average profit margin increased by 89 percent in the first half of 2022 compared to the first half of 2019. Among the beneficiaries are Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda, which together hold 43 percent of the food market, and global giants such as Nestlé. A report by Which revealed that all British supermarkets significantly raised prices, with Lidl showing the largest increase. Although the environment is not highly competitive, companies are not provoking "wars" with suppliers. In France and the United States, some retailers accuse multinational food companies of high margins. In Italy, there have been no recent reports of price increases for food and household products, although consumer advocacy group Codacons has filed a complaint against some supermarkets.
Inflation or speculation? Antitrust intervenes
