{
  "id": 9446835,
  "title": "'Proteinflation': Meet the people paying up to £100 for a bag of protein",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/proteinflation-meet-the-people-paying-up-to-100-for-a-bag-of-protein-9446835",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-23T23:12:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC News",
    "slug": "bbc-news",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm93e2gz8y41o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Protein has become a pricey commodity, with some consumers paying up to £100 for a bag of protein powder. Amarpreet Singh, a 30-year-old banker from London, has been using protein shakes since he was 16 and notes that the cost of a 4.5kg bag of whey protein has risen from £60 in 2020 to £120 just last year. Among his gym friends, this surge in prices is known as \"proteinflation.\" Evie Lewis, a 19-year-old University of Manchester student, began taking protein powder a few months ago to ensure she's getting enough protein in her diet, but the high price of £32.99 for a 420g tub is making her ration the product. Max Longman, a 32-year-old real estate agent from Manchester, has been consuming protein supplements for 10 years, and his monthly spending on whey protein has increased from around £45 a year ago to £60 now. This growing demand for protein is putting pressure on supply, with the wholesale price of high-whey protein increasing by 130% in late August compared to the previous year and more than four times its level three years ago. Food manufacturers are scrambling to meet this high-protein craze, but producing high-protein whey requires specialized processing and drying equipment, making it costly and time-consuming. Some companies are adapting by changing recipes or seeking cheaper sources of protein. Despite the rising prices, Max Longman believes protein is essential for exercise recovery, but for students like Evie, who are on a tight budget, protein may not be a necessity anymore.",
  "summary": "Consumers are feeling the squeeze from the rising price of protein.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Business",
        "title": "'Proteinflation': Meet the people paying up to £100 for a bag of protein",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/proteinflation-meet-the-people-paying-up-to-100-for-a-bag-of-protein",
        "published": "2026-09-23T23:12:01.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}