CONSUMERS SET TO FEEL THE BITE ON FEARS OVER FOOD PRICE INFLATION

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Retail food prices are heading for their biggest annual increase in as much as 30 years, raising fears that the world faces an unprecedented period of food price inflation.

Prices have soared as the expanding biofuels industry, climate change and the growing prosperity of nations such as India and China push up the costs of farm commodities including wheat, corn, milk and oils.

Food companies have started passing on these increases to consumers but the prospect of sustained commodity price rises means the industry's profits could be hit as it is forced to absorb the higher costs itself.




食品零售价格正朝30年来最大年度增幅逼近，这令市场担心，全球正面临一个前所未有的食品价格上涨时期。

生物燃料行业的不断扩张、气候变化以及印度和中国等国经济不断增长，推升了小麦、玉米、牛奶和食用油等农产品价格，食品价格已大幅上涨。

食品公司已开始将食品价格上涨转嫁到消费者身上，但农产品价格持续上涨的前景意味着，食品行业利润可能受到影响，因为该行业将不得不自行消化成本上涨。