Tesco has increased the price of its popular lunchtime meal deal, the latest sign of how rising food costs continue to affect households across the UK.
From Thursday, the cost of the deal, which includes a main, snack, and drink, rose from £3.60 to £3.85 for Clubcard holders. Customers without a loyalty card now pay £4.25, up from £4.
The price shift marks another step away from the deal’s long-standing affordability. For a decade, Tesco’s meal deal cost £3, before the supermarket raised it in October 2022, at the height of record-breaking food inflation.
Tesco defended the move, insisting the offer still represented “great value.” The company pointed out that some of the items in the standard deal could cost over £8 if purchased separately. Tesco also runs a premium meal deal, which has now increased to £5.50 with a Clubcard and £6 without.
The dual pricing structure highlights the growing importance of supermarket loyalty schemes. Tesco says 80% of its shoppers use a Clubcard, and the retailer has leaned heavily on the scheme to keep customers engaged while food prices continue to squeeze margins.
According to data from research firm Kantar, the average UK shopper carries loyalty cards for three different supermarkets. These cards not only lock in savings but also give retailers valuable insights into consumer spending patterns.
For many regulars, however, the latest rise is yet another pinch on already stretched budgets.
Kristina, a 19-year-old student from Nottingham, marked the price change with a post on X (formerly Twitter). She shared a photo of her “last £3.60 meal deal farewell,” noting that while Tesco’s offer had once been a quick, affordable option, she now found better value elsewhere.
“Unless other places whack up their prices heavily, I won’t buy another meal deal from Tesco for a very long time,” she told the BBC. “Most other stuff at Tesco has gone up in price overnight too. It’s now more or less the same price as Waitrose.”
Tesco is not alone in raising lunchtime bundle prices. In June, Sainsbury’s increased its own meal deal from £3.75 to £3.95, applying the same price to both Nectar cardholders and non-members.
Boots, however, said it had no plans to increase prices for its meal deal, which costs £3.99 or £3.60 with an Advantage Card. The deal is more expensive in London and at airports, where it rises to £4.99, or £4.50 with the loyalty discount.
Asda has also confirmed it will maintain its Food To Go three-for-two deal for now.
The increases come as food price inflation remains persistently high. According to the latest figures, food and non-alcoholic drink prices rose 4.9% in the year to July. Looking at a longer trend, prices have surged by around 37% over the past five years, compared to a 4.4% rise in the previous five-year period.
Retailers argue that the government has worsened the pressure by imposing new costs on businesses. In a letter sent to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the British Retail Consortium said recent changes — including higher employment costs, National Insurance reforms, and a new packaging tax — had added £7bn in costs to the industry.
“As retailers, we have done everything we can to shield our customers from the worst inflationary pressures,” the letter read. “But as they persist, it is becoming more and more challenging for us to absorb the cost pressures we face.”
The Bank of England has said such cost increases may have added between 1% and 2% to food prices. It expects food price inflation to peak at 5.5% later this year, before easing to between 2% and 3% in 2026.
For now, Tesco insists its meal deal remains competitive. But for shoppers like Kristina, the sentiment is different: “It used to feel like a bargain. Now, it just feels like another expense.”
