Ham lb

2001 price: £4.32

As with bacon, the cost of ham today reflects the fact that the taste today is for lean leg meat, whereas in the past it used to be said that the only unsaleable part of the pig was the squeak. The 2001 price is for sliced Wiltshire ham from the delicatessen counter, which is a medium-priced lean product. Economy ham, at £1.98 for 400g, is in some respects a better comparison, because although it is a processed product, it better reflects the appeal of ham to a mass market early this century.