Why lamb prices are soaring this Easter

EnvironmentFood
3 Apr 2026 • 8:38 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • British households regularly consuming lamb have faced an additional £168 in costs over the past three years, a direct consequence of climate change.
  • The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) attributes this surge to severe weather “shocks” since 2022, including droughts, extreme heat and heavy rainfall.
  • These events have repeatedly driven up the price of a typical 2kg leg of lamb by between 7 per cent and 21 per cent, impacting farmers' production costs and grass growth.
  • Analysis indicates the 2022 drought increased prices by 11 per cent, the wet winter of 2023/24 by 25 per cent, and a recent drought by 13 per cent, primarily due to effects on grass.
  • Beyond lamb, the cost of Easter eggs has also risen by two-thirds in three years, linked to similar climate impacts on cocoa production in West Africa.

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