Recently, demand from small investors using the Internet has led to huge price increases in shares of newly floated companies after their initial public offerings.

ECONOMIST: Initial public offerings

Executives have been able to realize huge gains from even small increases in share price, purely based on the number of option shares they held.

FORBES: How To Salvage Stock Options

"All consumers are painfully aware of the huge hikes in petrol and utility bills but we've also seen some fairly hefty price increases in pension contributions and debt repayments, " Mr Gordon said.

BBC: UK spending power 'in heavy fall'