Food and Utility Prices Fuel Inflation in February

28th March 2023

Increases in housing and housing services, most notably water, electricity and gas, contributed the most to the overall inflation in February, with prices having gone up by 26.6%, according to the Office for National Statistics. Food prices, however, have also seen a huge rise - compared to the same period last year, they increased by 18%, data shows.

Among the foods with the largest price increases are olive oil (40.7%), sugar (38.4%), milk (34.4% for whole and 42.2% for low-fat milk), cheese and curd (34.9%), eggs (32.5%), flour (28.6%), and butter (27.5%). In comparison, non-alcoholic beverages rose by 16%, while the biggest jump (22%) was seen in the price of mineral or spring waters.