Vitamin prices jump as inflation hits popular supplements

“In the last six months, raw material commodity prices [have seen a] 15-20 per cent increase,” Symington said.

“We haven’t put through price rises that 100 per cent cover all of that.”

Blackmores is not alone in warning on increased costs for the consumer. Several other ASX-listed companies told investors this month that prices on a wide range of products, from dairy goods to kitchen appliances, had gone up to offset inflation.

Cheesemaker Bega said last week that it was confident the days of steep dairy price increases had come to an end – but flagged that more price increases in line with “normal inflationary pressures” would be seen this year.

Major supermarkets Coles and Woolworths were also optimistic that overall grocery price inflation would moderate this year, but both confirmed price growth had accelerated faster in the December quarter than in the three months to September last year.

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Other consumer goods brands also flagged price increases in the six months to December: coffee machine maker Breville reported that it pushed through “specific price increases” on certain products, while discount retailer The Reject Shop said it was left with no choice but to raise selling prices in a “targeted way”.

Analysts expect inflationary pressures to moderate later this year, but some predict further price jumps, particularly in food.

“Channel checks with suppliers, assessment of global fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) outlook statements and analysis of soft commodity prices point to significant food inflation over the coming two to three years,” Barrenjoey consumer analyst Tom Kierath said in a note to clients last week.