§ Mr. Colin Shepherdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out in the Official Report a table showing in terms of 1985 prices the retail prices in 1974, 1979 and 1987 of a small white loaf, one pint of milk, 250 grammes of butter, a quarter chicken piece, a dozen size 3 eggs, ½lb tea or tea bag equivalent and 250 grammes of minced beef.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonThe table provides the information requested based on prices collected for the construction of the retail prices index. Where prices of 681W items to the precise specification are not collected, or are not available on a consistent basis, prices of comparable items have been substituted.
Average Retail Prices of Certain Foods in the United Kingdom in terms of 1985 prices1 1974 Annual Average pence 1979 Annual Average pence 1987 January pence Small white loaf (400g) 32.3 33.2 34.1 Milk (pint) 16.5 240 23.7 Butter (250g) 44.8 66.4 49.7 Fresh/chilled chicken (lb) 102.8 102.4 74.7 Eggs, size 4 (dozen) 122.8 93.5 87.0 Tea (125 g) 36.8 42.6 39.7 Brisket (250 g) 92.5 89.9 81.3 Minced beef (250 g) n/a n/a 62.6 Notes: 1 Average prices have been adjusted to 1985 prices using the RPI all items index. 1 Where unit prices have changed over the period an equivalent price has been calculated. 2 Prices of quarter chicken pieces and of size 3 eggs are not currently collected and prices for minced beef have been collected only since January 1980.