More and more families are being priced out of essential goods as grocery costs continue to rise, according to Social Democrats food spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore.
Deputy Whitmore said:
“Everyday items continue to rise in price in supermarkets – the Consumer Price Index for December 2025 shows that butter, milk and bread, among other essentials, cost more than they did the year previously.
“The government’s move to give the AgriFood regulator additional powers won’t come into effect until the end of 2026, over 2 years after the AgriFood regulator asked for the powers to improve transparency in food supply chains.
“This delay is outrageous, especially against the backdrop of the cost of living in this country, which continues to skyrocket.
“Families around the country are undergoing immense struggle just to put food on the table – people cannot afford the basic supermarket goods. In response, the government has shown a complete lack of urgency.
“Next Tuesday, I’ll be introducing the Agri-Food Regulator (Amendment) Bill 2026, which would provide greater powers to the AgriFood regulator within three months.
“With suspected price gouging by supermarkets continuing to squeeze household budgets, it’s more important than ever that we can see a breakdown of the costs being incurred by producers in the agri-food sector.”
January 15th, 2026