UK shop prices rise in early May but food inflation hits 12-month low

(Alliance News) - Retailers continued to struggle with "significant cost pressures" as UK shop ...

Alliance News 25 May, 2026 | 11:02PM
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(Alliance News) - Retailers continued to struggle with "significant cost pressures" as UK shop price inflation edged higher this month, the British Retail Consortium reported on Tuesday.

The latest BRC-NIQ shop price monitor data covered the period from May 1 to May 7.

Annual shop price inflation increased to 1.2%, compared with a 1.0% rise in April. This was above the three-month average of 1.1%.

Non-food prices rose 0.5% in May, after decreasing by 0.1% in April and exceeding the three-month average of 0.1%.

"Furniture and health & beauty saw the sharpest increases, driven by rising raw material and shipping costs," commented BRC Chief Executive Helen Dickinson. "Customers were still able to find bargains, with prices for TVs and audiovisual equipment falling as retailers help people get World Cup ready."

Food inflation slowed to 2.7% in May from 3.1% in April, below the three-month average of 3.1%. April's inflation rate was the lowest in a year, Dickinson noted, "as intense competition among supermarkets continued to deliver value and savings."

Fresh food inflation decreased to 3.4% in May from 3.9% in April, and was below the three-month average of 3.9%. Ambient food inflation decreased to 1.6% from 2.1% in April, and stayed below the three-month average of 1.9%.

"While retailers work hard to keep prices down for customers, they continue to face significant cost pressures, including higher energy bills and disruption linked to the conflict in Iran," Dickinson said. "Businesses cannot absorb these costs indefinitely, which risks pushing prices higher in the months ahead.

"To help protect households, [the] government should take action to reduce business costs. Reducing the non-commodity charges, taxes and levies that make up more than two-thirds of energy bills, and cutting red tape would help keep inflation down."

By Emma Curzon, Alliance News reporter

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