The Middle East conflict is pushing up energy prices and feeding into UK food costs, with businesses warning the impact is reaching consumers through everyday grocery bills.
The warning has been highlighted by Sainsbury's - a leading British supermarket chain - which says rising energy costs linked to the war involving Iran are feeding through the food supply chain and increasing pressure on prices.
Simon Roberts, the CEO of Sainsbury's, said the government should step in to support the sector, arguing that higher energy bills risk pushing grocery inflation further up.
Energy is a major cost across the industry, from farming and food production to transport and retail, meaning global shocks can quickly translate into higher prices on supermarket shelves.
The UK is particularly exposed to these pressures. Wholesale gas prices have surged since the conflict began, while oil prices have climbed sharply amid disruption to global supply routes.
That broader energy shock is already feeding into inflation. UK food inflation rose to 3.7% in March, and industry bodies have warned prices could increase significantly further by the end of the year.
Businesses say there is only so much they can absorb. While supermarkets are trying to keep prices low, rising costs across production, storage and distribution are making further increases harder to avoid.
The situation highlights how geopolitical tensions are filtering into daily life, not just through fuel prices but also through the cost of basic goods.
Economists warn that if energy markets remain volatile, pressure on household budgets is likely to intensify, turning a distant conflict into a direct cost-of-living issue for UK consumers.
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President Donald Trump said on Sunday Iran could telephone if it wants to negotiate an end to their two-month war. Tehran said the U.S. should remove obstacles to a deal, including its blockade of Iran's ports. Meanwhile Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives in St Petersburg for talks.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in St Petersburg on Monday after visits to Pakistan and Oman for talks on bilateral ties and regional developments, including a fragile ceasefire, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and stalled peace negotiations with the U.S.
The U.S. military is redirecting at least three Iranian-flagged tankers after intercepting them in Asian waters near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Tehran said U.S. breaches, blockades and threats are undermining “genuine negotiations.”
Caricatures of U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are on display in a metro station in downtown Tehran. The cartoons mock the two leaders for what Tehran says is their failure in waging a war on Iran.
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President Donald Trump said on Sunday Iran could telephone if it wants to negotiate an end to their two-month war. Tehran said the U.S. should remove obstacles to a deal, including its blockade of Iran's ports. Meanwhile Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives in St Petersburg for talks.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in St Petersburg on Monday after visits to Pakistan and Oman for talks on bilateral ties and regional developments, including a fragile ceasefire, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and stalled peace negotiations with the U.S.
Israeli air strikes have killed at least 14 people in southern Lebanon, according to the country’s Health Ministry, as tensions continue despite an ongoing ceasefire.
Oil prices extended gains on Monday, rising nearly 2% as peace talks between the U.S. and Iran stalled while shipments through the Strait of Hormuz remained limited, keeping global oil supplies tight.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said Iran can contact the United States directly if it wishes to negotiate an end to the conflict between the two countries, now in its second month.
President Donald Trump said on Sunday Iran could telephone if it wants to negotiate an end to their two-month war. Tehran said the U.S. should remove obstacles to a deal, including its blockade of Iran's ports. Meanwhile Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives in St Petersburg for talks.
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