Data shows UK shoppers are paying record 10.6% more for food than a year ago

Food price inflation has rocketed past last month's 9.3 per cent to 10.6 per cent in the UK, driven by the war in Ukraine which has raised the prices of commodities like animal feed, fertiliser and vegetable oil. Overall shop price inflation accelerated to 5.7 per cent in September, up from 5.1 per cent in August as per British Retail Consortium-Nielson IQ index.

Fresh food products cost a record 12.1 per cent more than last year, up from 10.5 per cent in August. Inflation for cupboard staples, such as pasta and tinned tomatoes, reached a record 8.6 per cent, up from 7.8 per cent in the previous month. This was the fastest rate of increase ever recorded for the category.

Non-food inflation rose from 2.9 per cent in August to 3.3 per cent due to rising transport costs. Prices of fruits such as strawberries, blueberries and tomatoes fell owing to prolonged sunshine due to the summer drought.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, was quoted by Sky News as saying, "Retailers are battling huge cost pressures from the weak pound, rising energy bills and global commodity prices, high transport costs, a tight labour market and the cumulative burden of government-imposed costs."

(With inputs from agencies)