Food inflation hits a record high – and retailers say price rises ‘have yet to peak’
The IndependentShop price inflation reached a record high this month, figures show – and there’s more misery for households in store as experts warn soaring food costs have yet to peak. The increasing cost of sugar coupled with high manufacturing costs contributed to price rises for chocolate, sweets and fizzy drinks, while fruit and vegetable prices also rose as poor harvests in Europe and North Africa limited availability, retailers said. Overall food inflation accelerated to 15 per cent, up from 14.5 per cent last month, while the price of fresh food is now 17 per cent higher than last March – the highest on record. “And as Easter approaches some high street retailers will also be offering discounts and promotions to encourage customers to spend.” It comes after the Office for National Statistics last week revealed UK inflation shot up unexpectedly from 10.1 per cent in January to 10.4 per cent in February as the vegetable shortages pushed food prices to their highest rate in more than 45 years.