IT sounds nuts, but even garden birds may soon suffer from the current economic squeeze.

Nick Robinson owns Robertson’s Pet Store, which has been in the Grainger Market in Newcastle since 1929.

He said that peanut prices had jumped from £30 for a 25-kilo bag to £44, partly because many peanut farmers in the United States had switched to growing biofuel crops and the harvest had also been poor.

There was also a knock-on effect on bird food mixes because peanuts are one of the ingredients, and distribution costs were also up.

He said: “ I think peanut prices could go up again if we have bad weather and snow, which increases demand.”

Nick sells between 4,000-5,000 kilos of peanuts over the three-month winter period.

He said: “ Most people who feed the birds will continue to pay for quality, but there may be a cut-off point where customers say ‘that’s too expensive.’”