University of York student support advisor and Master's student Amie-May Wilson has taken a look at how local businesses compare to supermarkets for affordability.
As many York residents would say, the city offers high-quality living, but at what cost?
Wise, an Electronic Money Institution and Investment Firm, is wise indeed, estimating a total of £4,804 for a family of four’s monthly outgoings.
Just like York’s rising river levels, the price residents pay for produce is only increasing.
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Is it more affordable to shop local or buy from nationwide supermarkets?
Let’s take a look at Millie’s, an independent greengrocer in Bishopthorpe Road, selling locally grown potatoes for as little as 60p per kilo, six free-range eggs for £1.99, and a "value box" consisting of bread, milk, eggs, fruit, and veg for a reasonable £10.
Their "value box" remains impressive, and so does their Bishy residents' discount.
University of York student Amie-May Wilson
(Image: Amie-May Wilson)
In comparison, Asda sells their potatoes for 6p more, their eggs for 9p cheaper, and a fruit and veg box for £3.50.
Love’s Greengrocer’s in Heworth is a family-run greengrocers in the heart of the community. The shop sells "high quality fruit and vegetables, pet foods and locally produced preserves".
Their potatoes cost £1.08 per kilo, while their eggs are priced at a comparable £1.95 and their fruit and veg boxes range from £14 to £35.
Vegetables at Millies
(Image: Contributed)
It comes as food industry giants called on new Prime Minister Andy Burnham to make food security a national priority.
The letter, signed by Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Waitrose and Co-op, charities including Barnardo’s, Amnesty International UK and WWF-UK, health campaigners, investment companies and farming organisations, warns that the next “food shock” is “not a question of if, but when”.
It calls on Mr Burnham to urgently introduce a Good Food Bill to act as a legally binding framework to improve national food and nutrition security, public health and food system resilience.
Commenting at the end of July, a Government spokeswoman said: “We will always protect the food security of this country to ensure that people have access to nutritious, affordable food.
“To help deliver this, we focused on strengthening national food security, investing a record £11.7 billion in sustainable and profitable farming and billions more in the development of new technology and climate-resilient crops to increase yields.
“Alongside this, we are building stronger, more resilient food supply chains to protect Britain from potential disruptions while also taking a range of actions to keep prices down for households, including the cost of the weekly shop.”