(Alliance News) - UK shop price deflation was unchanged this month but food inflation increased, data published by the British Retail Consortium revealed on Tuesday.
Shop prices declined by 0.1% on an annual basis in May, the BRC said, unchanged from in April.
Conversely, the food inflation rate was 2.8% on-year, accelerating from 2.6% in April.
Fresh food price inflation rose to 2.4% on-year in May, suddenly accelerating from growth of 1.8% in April. Ambient food inflation, however, declined to 3.3% on-year from 3.7%.
"While overall shop prices remain unchanged in May, food inflation rose for the fourth consecutive month," commented BRC Chief Executive Helen Dickinson. "Fresh foods were the main driver, and red meat eaters may have noticed their steak got a little more expensive as wholesale beef prices increased."
Non-food prices, meanwhile, decreased 1.5% in May against a 1.4% decrease in April.
"Non-food prices remained in deflation, but this slowed in categories such as fashion and furniture as retailers began to unwind heavy promotional activity," Dickinson said. "Prices were falling faster for electricals as retailers tried to encourage spending before any potential knock-on impact from US tariffs."
She continued: "With retailers now absorbing the additional GBP5bn in costs from April's increased Employer National Insurance contributions and National Living Wage, it is no surprise that inflation is rearing its head once again.
"Later this year, retailers face another GBP2bn in costs from the new packaging tax, and there are further employment costs on the horizon from the implementation of the Employment Rights Bill...If statutory costs continue to rise for retailers, households will have to brace themselves for more difficult times ahead as prices rise faster."
By Emma Curzon, Alliance News reporter
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