Food prices have spiralled 8.3 per cent since January, with meat and fish rising nearly a quarter and some products up by 50 per cent, a new study shows.

A 125g packet of ham is now 45.4 per cent more expensive while consumers face paying 42.6 per cent more for a packet of skinless chicken breasts. Overall, meat and fish rose 22.9 per cent between January and August.

Today's figures tally with data released earlier this week from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), which said that food prices had risen by 10 per cent in the year to August, and singled out the soaring cost of pork products.

The price of eight rashers of bacon at Tesco has risen from £1.25 last year to £2.38, according to mysupermarket.com, the price comparison site.

Asda is charging 30 per cent more for 100g of medium pork chops at £5.79, while 175g of smoked ham has risen by 58p in a year to £2.16.

Pork products have risen substantially because the grain used to feed pigs has become more expensive while farmers have struggled with the increasing cost of fuel.

Today's figures from Verdict Research, commissioned by the BBC, also show that general cupboard goods, such as tinned food, rose by 15 per cent between January and August while fresh fruit and vegetable prices also increased, up 14.7 per cent.

Keeping clothes and homes clean is also becoming more expensive, with laundry, washing and paper prices up 14.4 per cent in eight months.

Food prices are now soaring above the rate of inflation, which is at a 16-year high of 4.4 per cent and is more than double the Government's 2 per cent target.

Yesterday, the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted to keep the interest rate on hold at 5 per cent.

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