Rising burger prices aren’t boosting farmer incomes, say UK producers

Summer barbecues are becoming pricier as the CPI records higher charges for beef, bread rolls and bagged salad, a phenomenon labelled “burgerflation.” Heather Oldfield, who runs a 200-head cattle farm in Boston, Lincolnshire, says her beef earnings are about 8% lower than a year ago, even as shoppers face a 9% price rise. York baker Phil Clayton notes a small increase in wheat prices for farmers, while he has had to lift bakery prices to cover rising rent, wages and fuel.

Mill manager Robert Archer points to soaring haulage costs that force higher organic flour prices, despite the mill’s owner Nelly Trevelyan keeping fertilizer expenses low by staying organic. Vegetable grower Mathew Brankley observes that higher payments for crops are being eaten up by fuel and fertilizer bills, leaving little net gain. Defra claims a record £11.8 billion investment in agriculture, yet producers remain uncertain about future profitability.