# Love in a time of inflation: how much will Valentine’s Day set you back? Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2023-02-13 Category: FINANCE Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/finance Meta Title: Valentine's Day 2022: Food Prices Soaring, $$$ More Meta Description: Discover how inflation and global events are impacting the cost of Valentine's Day meals in the UK, from restaurants to supermarkets. URL: https://financedigest.com/love-in-a-time-of-inflation-how-much-will-valentines-day-set-you-backhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2023-02-13t124922z2lynxmpej1c08crtroptp4europe-inflation-valentines-day-1736814450921-compressed.jpg) By Richa Naidu LONDON (Reuters) -This Valentine’s Day is set to look different after a year of record food inflation that has sent up prices of everything from flowers to chocolates and dining in restaurants. COVID-era supply chain logjams and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have meant that Britons paid a record 16.7% more for food in the four weeks to Jan. 22 compared to the same period last year, according to [research firm](https://www.financedigest.com/cone-crusher-markets-advanced-research-growth-opportunities-in-global-industry-by-2030-edited-by-leading-research-firm.html "Cone Crusher Market’s advanced Research & Growth Opportunities in Global Industry by 2030 Edited by Leading Research Firm") Kantar. As a result, romantic Valentine dinners out will [cost more and restaurants are modifying their offerings](https://www.financedigest.com/amazon-offers-shoppers-10-to-pick-up-purchases-as-it-targets-delivery-costs.html "Amazon offers shoppers to pick up purchases as it targets delivery costs") to attract cash-conscious customers. Last year, [British restaurant chain PizzaExpress offered a three-course set menu](https://www.financedigest.com/mcdonalds-milkshakes-off-the-british-menu-after-supply-chain-issues-2.html "McDonald’s milkshakes off the British menu after supply chain issues") complete with “a prosecco and raspberry mimosa, heart-shaped dough balls and a main, such as our Padana, with creamy goat’s cheese and sweet caramelised onion. [Priced at 23.95 pounds](https://www.financedigest.com/edf-delays-uk-nuclear-project-to-2027-ups-price-by-3-billion-pounds.html "EDF delays UK nuclear project to 2027, ups price by 3 billion pounds") ($29) per person, the ad for the meal asked: “Will the Triple Salted Caramel Cheesecake tickle your fancy?” This year, PizzaExpress is advertising a slightly less impressive “love bundle” of a starter and a “classic” pizza for 15 pounds. According to the latest data from Britain’s Office of National Statistics, eating at restaurants in December [cost 9.4% more than last year](https://www.financedigest.com/commonenergy-mistakes-costing-homeowners-hundreds-of-pounds-each-year.html "Commonenergy mistakes costing homeowners hundreds of pounds each year"). Other expenses associated with date nights – from flowers and cinema tickets to taxis and childcare – also rose. As companies such as Mondelez, Nestle and Lindt [hiked prices](https://www.financedigest.com/sony-hikes-ps5-price-on-economic-pressures-rising-rates.html "Sony hikes PS5 price on economic pressures, rising rates"), people paid 10.7% more for chocolates. The nation’s supermarkets are seeking to cash in, keeping [prices for their Valentine’s Day meal-deals stable in the hope](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-prices-slide-as-hopes-for-china-demand-rebound-fade.html "Oil prices slide as hopes for China demand rebound fade") of luring customers from restaurants. Morrisons is selling a 15-pound package for a starter, main, two sides, drink and dessert. Its members will get 1 pound off a dozen fresh red roses from Feb. 11, the retailer said. The [price of flowers rose 6.2% in Britain](https://www.financedigest.com/britains-ocado-follows-rivals-in-cutting-some-prices.html "Britain’s Ocado follows rivals in cutting some prices") in December. Tesco, whose CEO recently noted that consumers are shifting away from eating out, has reduced the price of its Valentine’s [Day dinner-for-two to 12 pounds – down from 15 pounds last year](https://www.financedigest.com/explainer-international-womens-day-date-history-and-this-years-theme.html "Explainer-International Women’s Day: date, history and this year’s theme") – for a main, side dish, dessert and drink. Sainsbury’s has tied up with Uber Eats to offer 15 pound “emergency bundles” of a three-course meal, drinks and gifts with free delivery in [parts of East](https://www.financedigest.com/public-cloud-part-of-the-strategy-for-middle-east-organizations-but-not-the-strategy.html "Public Cloud – Part of the Strategy for Middle East Organizations but Not The Strategy") London. It’s an opportunity for the supermarkets to sell their premium ranges to people who wouldn’t normally buy them,” said Chris Beckett, head of [equity research at investment](https://www.financedigest.com/procurementin-european-private-equity-investment-adding-value-to-the-boardroom.html "Procurement in European private equity investment – adding value to the boardroom.") firm Quilter Cheviot. That could lead to [repeat purchases](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-increase-repeat-purchase-rates-in-ecommerce.html "How to increase repeat purchase rates in eCommerce") in the future. Even diners with deeper pockets will have to dish out more this year. London’s Michelin-starred Ritz Restaurant, whose ad boasts “breathtaking” interiors “with spectacular garland chandeliers and romantic twinkling candlelight all reflected in the mirrored panels”, this year [priced its four-course set](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-ticks-up-as-u-s-inflation-cools-but-prices-set-for-monthly-drop.html "Oil ticks up as U.S. inflation cools, but prices set for monthly drop") Valentine’s menu at 395 pounds per person, up from 325 pounds last year. Both years, the [deal included a glass of Barons de Rothschild “Ritz Reserve” Rosé NV Champagne and a menu created by the Ritz’s Executive](https://www.financedigest.com/musks-twitter-deal-could-test-tesla-executive-bench.html "Musk’s Twitter deal could test Tesla executive bench") Chef John Williams, Member of the Order of the British Empire. Elsewhere in Europe, a similar trend has taken hold. [Luxury hotel Le Bristol in Paris](https://www.financedigest.com/london-fears-losing-luxury-shoppers-to-paris-and-milan.html "London fears losing luxury shoppers to Paris and Milan"), for instance, is this year charging upwards of 2,190 euros ($2,338) for its “seductive offer” that includes a room for one night, late check-out, a “gastronomic dinner for two”, chocolate and a bottle of champagne. [Last year](https://www.financedigest.com/over-50-of-businesses-increased-their-cyber-security-budget-last-year-amid-attacks.html "Over 50% of businesses increased their cyber security budget last year amid attacks"), a similar experience cost 1,090 euros. The Ritz and Le Bristol did not respond to a request for comment. PizzaExpress said: “This year it’s a different offer, available for a longer period, and customers in the PizzaExpress Club can unlock an even [greater saving.”](https://www.financedigest.com/savings-efficiencies-and-greater-reliability-in-entity-verification-processes-of-a-combined-annual-value-of-650m-to-the-financial-services-industry-identified-in-new-research-into-legal-entity-ident.html "Savings, Efficiencies And Greater Reliability In Entity Verification Processes Of A Combined Annual Value Of 0m To The Financial Services Industry Identified In New Research Into Legal Entity Identifiers") (Reporting by Richa Naidu; Additional reporting by Andy Bruce. Editing by Matthew Scuffham, Sharon Singleton and Toby Chopra) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---