WEIGHT-loss jab users hungry for protein will help to raise meat prices by up to a fifth this year, an expert has warned.
Oisin Hanrahan, boss of food supply platform Keychain, said global insecurity and energy costs were a problem.
But demand by jab users was also expected to push up prices
Those taking GLP-1 drugs, including Wegovy and Mounjaro, need nutrient-dense protein to protect their health as they eat smaller portions.
Mr Hanrahan said: “Increasing demand is also increasing price.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if there was, say, ten to 20 per cent on certain meat items over the year.
“The two to five per cent range is the hope.”
He said significant rises had also hit chocolate, coffee, butter and fruit owing to crop disease, bad weather, tariffs and other problems.
Mr Hanrahan urged consumers to be flexible when shopping for food, and open to buying meat and other products on offer rather than going to the supermarket with rigid lists.
He added: “We can’t be lethargic, waiting for food prices to come down on their own.
“The factors causing them to remain high are here to stay.”
