Average price of some household items ‘has surged by nearly 50% since 2020’

Households face paying nearly 50% more typically for some items than they would have done at the start of 2020, analysis by a comparison website suggests.

PriceRunner looked at thousands of products to find out where there have been some particularly big price surges.

Christine Gouldthorp, a consumer expert at PriceRunner, said: “Our analysis showed that washing machines, cookers, alcohol and even toys increased significantly in price over the past two years, some product categories by almost 50%.”

The website found that the average price for a washing machine has increased by 46% or £152 between January 2020 and February 2022.

The average price for a washing machine back in January 2020 was £327 but it has since ballooned to £479, according to the figures given to the PA news agency.

The average price for a cooker meanwhile has increased by 25% or £309 over the same period, from £1,248 in January 2020 to £1,557 in February 2022.

The typical price charged for a tumble dryer, or a TV, has typically increased by £70, PriceRunner found.

Tablets have increased by a similar amount and are £68 more expensive on average than they were in January 2020.

The average price of a toy has increased from £17 to £20.

PriceRunner did find that the average prices of some items had decreased.

Dishwashers are now £44 cheaper on average than in January 2020, while freezers are £14 less expensive, it found.

Laptops are also £14 less expensive typically than at the start of 2020, according to the website.

Here is how average prices have increased in various shopping categories since January 2020, according to PriceRunner, with the average price in February 2022 and the change in cash and percentage terms:

– Washing machine, £479, £152, 46%

– Cooker, £1,557, £309, 25%

– Beer, spirits, cider and non-alcoholic drinks, £41, £8, 24%

– Tablet, £409, £68, 20%

– Toy, £20, £3, 18%

– Tumble dryer, £459, £70, 18%

– TV, £722, £70, 11%

– Lawn mower, £378, £35, 10%

– Mobile phone, £196, £16, 9%

– Vacuum cleaner, £178, £12, 7%

– Game console, £244, £12, 5%

– Garden power tool, £199, £7, 4%

– Printer, £460, £16, 4%

Here is how some average prices have decreased since January 2020, according to PriceRunner, with the average price in February 2022 and the change in cash and percentage terms:

– Dishwasher, £442, minus £44, minus 9%

– Freezer, £421, minus £14, minus 3%

– Shoes, £80, minus £1, minus 1%

– Laptop, £933, minus £14, minus 1%

– Oven, £516, minus £7, minus 1%