UK shop price inflation eases to 1.4% in September
UK shop price inflation eased to 1.4% in September 2026, down from 1.5% in August. Overall prices rose 0.1% month on month, while food prices fell 0.2%
Annual food inflation slowed to 2.5% in September from 2.8% in August, with fresh food at 2.6% and ambient food at 2.2%. Non-food inflation eased to 0.8% from 0.9% over the same period. Retailers cited higher employment costs, energy bills and packaging taxes as ongoing cost pressures.
“Retailers have absorbed wave after wave of extra costs, but there is a limit to what businesses can shoulder,” Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium said.
The BRC-NIQ Shop Price Index showed that shop prices remained higher than a year earlier. In August, shop price inflation stood at 1.5%.
What we know
UK shop price inflation eased to 1.4% in September 2026, down from 1.5% in August, as retailers maintained promotions and introduced price cuts to support demand.
Overall prices increased by 0.1% month on month, although food prices fell by 0.2%.
Annual food inflation fell to 2.5% in September, from 2.8% in August.
Non-food inflation also eased, falling to 0.8% from 0.9% in August.