Australian pantry staple soars in price as production costs rise

Kellogg’s has revealed the cost of cereal has risen to record highs as Aussies blast the hike, labelling it “ridiculous” and “too expensive”.

Australian shoppers are in shock after spotting the cost of a staple grocery item had soared to “ridiculous” levels.

Wallets have been hit hard as the cost of groceries have soared in recent months. Every day items including eggs, milk and even packets of chips have copped price hikes, putting a strain on budgets.

Not even the iconic supermarket mud cake has been able to avoid being whacked with a hefty price “adjustment” – rising from $4.80 to $5.75.

The latest food item to have risen dramatically in price is cereal, with a major Australian manufacturer explaining the cost of producing the breakfast staple is “the highest in decades”.

Currently the price of a 650g box of Coco Pops is $9.50 – a huge jump in comparison to the $7.50 price tag on a similar sized box last year.

Similarly, a 435g box of Nutri Grain cereal last year was being sold for $6 but now retails for $8.50 at both Coles and Woolworths supermarkets.

Cereal in Australia has dramatically risen in price due to soaring production costs. Picture: TikTok

Aussies labelled it an ‘absolute joke’. Picture: TikTok

“With food production costs the highest they have been in decades and the impact of supply chain and inflationary pressures, we recently increased the price of our cereals,” a Kellogg’s Australia spokesperson told news.com.au.

“We are proud that we source most of our ingredients from Aussie farmers and make most of our cereals in Australia.

“We believe that Kellogg’s continues to offer Aussie consumers great tasting and great value food, Coco Pops is available in three sizes to suit a range of households and budgets, and is less than 50 cents a serve based on the RRP.”

News.com.au contacted Coles and Woolworths for comment.

In a recent video shared by one horrified Aussie shopper, the price hikes were described as a “joke”.

Lauren Whitney took to TikTok after spotting Kellogg's’s Coco Pops were on special in Coles, priced at $17.10 for two boxes, saving $1.90 from the regular price of $9.50 each.

“This is a joke right? One average sized box of cereal, or two for $17,” she said.

She captioned her video with a series of hashtags, including “costofliving”, “poverty line”, “broke”, “unaffordable” and “help”.

Her shock was shared by many of the 477,000 viewers who watched her clip, with many labelling it “crazy”.

“Since when have Coco Pops been over $9 geez,” one wrote.

“The price of groceries is ridiculous,” another declared.

As one lamented: “I’d be hoping it’s GOLD covered chocolate for that price.”

“It’s so expensive now,” someone else chipped in.

Supermarket mud cakes were recently hiked in price. Picture: news.com.au

Some flavours cost as much as $6.50 now. Picture: news.com.au

On Twitter, the topic of how costly cereal has become in recent months is also a hot topic, with shoppers around the world sharing their frustrations.

“Why the f**k is cereal so mf expensive? I just want my Coco Pops man,” one complained recently, along with a crying face emoji.

“I wish cereal was less expensive. I miss eating Kellogg's’s Coco Pops for breakfast sometimes,” another agreed.

Someone else wrote: “Love some Coco Pops but Weetbix will always be a fave when it’s colder with hot milk & some sugar – but they are so expensive to buy at the moment!”

In November, a major Australian snack manufacturer explained packets of chips were going to rise between 30c and 50c due to rising gas bills.

While consumers are forking out almost $10 for a 3l bottle of milk – as eggs will set shoppers back around $6 for a dozen.

This is alongside rising rental prices, mortgage rates and utility bills.