One furious shopper took to social media to share a photo of the product which was on sale for a whopping £3.45. Hundreds of users responded to the post in the budget Facebook group, with most people criticising the recent price hikes, reports Manchester Evening News.
She wrote: “I’m sure some supermarkets are over pricing branded goods, so customers choose their own brands instead. These used to be £1.50.”
One person responded saying: “How can they think selling these cakes is normal at that price. Crazy.”
Another person said: “People need to stop buying any extras – cakes, sweets chocolates for a year – and see what happens. There is no need for these items to be so highly-priced.”
“They can bloody keep ’em at that price,” a third person added. “Rather make my own.”
The woman behind the original post explained why she decided to take the picture.
She said: “I actually took this photo because my daughter asked if I could get some for our picnic and I wanted to show her why I refused.
“I think Mr Kipling would be turning in his grave at these prices.”
Since she took the image, Sainsbury’s has put the packet of cakes on offer at £2, along with the Mr Kipling Angel Cakes and Lemon Slices.
But the retailer is not the only one to sell them at the higher price.
Morrisons is the same, at £3.45 a pack, while Tesco is selling them at £2.85, or currently £2 with Clubcard. Asda has them for £2 a pack without any promotion.
Responding to the shopper’s Facebook post, Sainsbury’s said the £1.50 price referred to was a promotional price, with the £3.45 “the base price” for the product until its £2 offer started.
A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s said: “While prices can go up and down for a range of reasons, we’re committed to offering our customers great choice and value whenever they shop with us.
“We have a range of Mr Kipling cakes available in our stores and many of them are on offer. Currently, Mr Kipling Mini Battenberg Cakes x5 are £1.15 and Mr Kipling Chocolate Cake Slices x8 are £2.”
A Mr Kipling spokesperson said: “The retail price of our products are at the discretion of the respective retailer.”