It’s a wake-up call for instant coffee drinkers – the price of some of the UK’s best known brands has soared by up to 40% in a year.

Analysis by the consumer group Which? found that 11 out of 12 instant coffees at six big grocery retailers had risen by at least 8% in the first two months of this year compared with the same period in 2024 and half were more than 10% pricier.

A 200g jar of Nescafé Original – Britain’s top-selling coffee – was 40% more expensive at Ocado at an average of £7.91 compared with an average £5.65 a year earlier. That compared with an average 14% price rise to £5.79 across the five supermarkets where it was available.

That was not the only hefty increase. A 140g tin of Nescafé’s Azera Americano was up 38% at Tesco – from £5.25 to £7.26 – and rose by an average 18% to £7.27 year-on-year across the six retailers. The other four retailers surveyed were Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.

The price rises follow predictions of smaller harvests because the world’s largest producers, Brazil and Vietnam, have been hit by bad weather as consumer demand for coffee continues to grow.

Reena Sewraz, the retail editor of Which?, said that despite those problems, some supermarket own-label coffee had come down in price while the price of ground coffee had held more steady.

“Not all coffees have been impacted by high price rises, so shoppers should turn to supermarket own-brands for instant or shop around for a good deal on ground coffee to keep their caffeine cravings at bay,” she said.

In November, Nestlé, which owns leading brands including Nescafé and Nespresso, said it would continue to increase prices and shrink pack sizes in an attempt to offset higher bean prices, which come on top of inflation last year.

A Nestlé spokesperson said pricing in stores was the decision of individual retailers, but added: “Like every manufacturer, we have seen significant increases in the cost of coffee, making it much more expensive to manufacture our products. As always, we continue to be more efficient and absorb increasing costs where possible, whilst maintaining the delicious taste that consumers know and love.”

A spokesperson for Ocado said: “Despite increases in the price of coffee beans, we’re doing all we can to keep prices low for our customers and offer the widest range of choice to suit all needs and budgets.”