Inflation hit a record high in all the main categories monitored by the BRC, led by a 15.7% increase in the cost of fresh food, which reflected high wholesale prices for fruit and vegetables and increased processing costs.
Overall food prices, which include longer-life goods, rose by 13.8%, while non-food prices were 5.1% higher.
Many British households have been hit hard by a surge in the cost of living since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. On Monday the Office for National Statistics said 5% of homes reported running out of food and being unable to buy more.
The Bank of England has forecast that inflation will remain high over the coming months before falling later in 2023, and is widely expected to raise its main interest rate on Thursday to 4%, the highest since 2008.
