On a monthly basis, CPIH fell by 0.4% in January 2024, the same rate as in January 2023.

The annual rate of food and non-alcohol beverages has fallen from 8.0% in December 2023 to 7.0% in January 2024, which is the lowest annual rate since April 2022. The fall to 7.0% means the annual rate has eased for the 10^th consecutive month, from a recent high of 19.2% in March 2023, which was the highest annual rate seen for over 45 years.

Monthly prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages fell by 0.4% between December 2023 and January this year, compared with a rise of 0.6% a year ago. Monthly prices for food (excluding non-alcoholic beverages) also fell by 0.4%. This was the first fall in monthly prices since September 2021, and the largest fall since July 2021.

The easing in the annual rate for food and non-alcoholic beverages was driven by bread and cereals, where prices fell by 1.3% on the month, compared with a rise of 0.2% a year ago.

The monthly fall was the largest since May 2021, some of the items providing larger negative contributions in this class were cream crackers, sponge cake, and chocolate biscuits.

Although the bread and cereals class provided the largest negative contribution, the slowing in the annual rate was fairly widespread across the division. Of the 11 classes, seven provided a downward contribution, while the others were unchanged.

The items that provided larger negative contributions include potato crisps, cooking sauces and instant coffee.

Commenting on the inflation figures for January, ONS Chief Economist Grant Fitzner said: “Inflation was unchanged in January reflecting counteracting effects within the basket of goods and services.”

“The price of gas and electricity rose at a higher rate than this time last year due to the increase in the energy price cap, while the cost of second-hand cars went up for the first time since May.

“Offsetting these, prices of furniture and household goods decreased by more than a year ago and food prices fell on the month for the first time in over two years.”

“All of these factors combined resulted in no change to the headline rate this month.”

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The most reported reasons for this were the price of food shopping (92%), gas or electricity bills (69%), the price of fuel (54%) and rent or mortgage costs (16%).

In a Public Opinions and Social Trends report, the ONS found that during the period 15^th to 26^th November 2023, around nine in 10 adults in Britain see the cost of living as an important issue facing the UK.

As part of its wider report, ‘Impact of increased cost of living on adults across Great Britain: July to October 2023’, the ONS found that 5% of adults reported running out of food and not being able to afford more. This proportion was 8% among parents living with a dependent child and 13% among renters and increased to 21% among renters who were parents living with a dependent child (Opinions and Lifestyle Study).

Additionally, over one quarter (27%) of households reported that they did not have enough savings to cover a 25% fall in household employment income (Wealth and Assets Survey).

FOOD PRICE INFLATION

The reported experiences reflect inflation data, which shows that prices (Consumer Price Index) rose by 4.6% in the year to October, down from a peak of 11.1% in October 2022.

While there was an easing in the food and non-alcoholic beverage prices from a peak of 19.1% in the year to March 2023, food prices remained high at 10.1% in the year to October 2023.

Food price inflation continues to be at historically high levels and it was recently revealed that approximately three-quarters of branded suppliers have pushed up prices by more than their costs increased, subsequently contributing to higher food price inflation.

Around one in 20 adults reported that, in the past two weeks, they or their household had run out of food and could not afford to buy more.

When looking at the groups less likely to be financially resilient, the ONS found those more likely to report this included renters (13% compared with 2% of mortgage holders); disabled adults (8% compared with 3% of non-disabled adults); adults living in a household with one adult only and at least one dependent child (26% compared with 5% among adults living in a household with more than one adult and at least one dependent child and 4% among adults not living with a dependent child); and Black, African, Caribbean or Black British adults (10%) compared with White adults (5%).

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This compares with a rise of 2.0% between the same two months a year ago, according to the latest Consumer Price Inflation from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

This saw an easing in the annual rate to 10.1% in October 2023, down from 12.2% in September and a recent high of 19.2% in March 2023, the highest annual rate seen for over 45 years.

The easing in the annual rate for food and non-alcoholic beverages was driven by price movements, which saw nine of the 11 classes provide a downward contribution in the latest month. The largest downward contribution came from the milk, cheese and eggs category, and the vegetables category.

Within milk, cheese and eggs, there were downward effects from three of the six subclasses, notably from yoghurt, with prices in this category falling by 2.9% between September and October this year, compared with a rise of 5.8% between the same two months in 2022.

This led to the annual rate for milk, cheese and eggs easing to 7.9% in the year to October 2023, down from 12.3% in September.

Within vegetables, there were downward effects from three of the six subclasses, notably from crisps, with prices for these products falling by 3.4% between September and October this year, compared with a rise of 4.1% between the same two months a year ago.

This has led to the annual rate for vegetables easing to 10.8% in the year to October 2023, down from 14.4% in September.

The remaining two classes were oils and fats, and coffee, tea and cocoa whose annual rates were unchanged between September and October this year, as were every subclass in each of these categories.

Although the annual rate at which food prices have been increasing has been slowing, the food price index is still at a high level in comparison to recent years. The price of food in October 2023 was around 30% higher than it was in October 2021.

Commenting on the latest inflation statistics, ONS Chief Economist Grant Fitzner said: “Inflation fell substantially on the month as last year’s steep rise in energy costs has been followed by a small reduction in the energy price cap this year.

“Food prices were little changed on the month, after rising this time last year, while hotel prices fell, both helping to push inflation to its lowest rate for two years.

“The cost of goods leaving factories rose on the month. However, the annual growth was slightly negative, led by petroleum and basic metal products,” he added.

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According to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, the number of adults who smoke across the UK has dropped to its lowest recorded level.

Approximately 6.4 million people (12.9%) aged 18 and over smoked cigarettes, with the Northern Ireland figures sitting at 14.0% – about 200,000 people.

People aged 25 to 34 years of age had the highest proportion of current smokers in the UK, at 16.3%, while those aged 65 and over had the lowest (8.3%) in 2022.

In the UK, 14.6% of men smoked compared with 11.2% of women – this difference has been consistent since 2011, the ONS observed.

VAPING INCREASE

In relation to the use of electronic cigarettes, the data shows their use is highest amongst those aged 16 to 24 years old, with the percentage of people in this age group who were daily or occasional vapers in 2022 increasing to 15.5%, compared to 11.1% in 2021.

The ONS noted that changes in e-cigarette usage were particularly evident in younger females, with a statistically significant increase in the proportion of women aged 16 to 24 who were daily e-cigarette users in 2022 (6.7%) compared with 2021 (1.9%).

Produced in partnership with the Office for Health Improvements and Disparities, the publication is part of a cross-government approach to improve the coherence of statistics on tobacco and e-cigarette use.

Based on Annual Population Survey (APS) data, the proportion of current smokers in the UK in 2022 was 12.9% and is a 7.3 percentage point decrease in current smokers compared with 2011 (20.2%) of the population.

Since 2011, there has been a statistically significant decline in the proportion of current smokers in all four nations across the UK.

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In the Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) index for March, it was revealed that while the overall costs facing business have been “largely stable” since summer 2022, prices remain high.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages rose from 18.2% to 19.2%, the highest since August 1977, however the rate of inflation fell from 10.4% in February to 10.1% in March.

Prices rose overall on food and non-alcoholic beverages by 1.1% between February and March 2023, compared with a smaller rise of 0.2% a year ago.

UPWARD EFFECT

The inflation rate on food prices saw a large upward effect, mainly due to bread and cereals and, to a lesser extent, fruit, sugar, jam, chocolate and confectionery, meat and vegetables including potatoes.

Bread and cereals prices overall rose this year but fell a year ago, with the main upward contributions coming from biscuits, sponge cakes and crumpets, while it was partially offset by a small downward effect coming from bread, where prices overall rose this year by less than a year ago.

Commenting on the inflation figures for March, ONS Chief Economist Grant Fitzner said: “Inflation eased slightly in March, but remains at a high level.

“The main drivers of the decline were motor fuel prices and heating oil costs, both of which fell after sharp rises at the same time last year. Clothing, furniture and household goods prices increased, but more slowly than a year ago.

“However, these were partially offset by the cost of food, which is still climbing steeply, with bread and cereal price inflation at a record high.

“The overall costs facing business have been largely stable since last summer, although prices remain high.”

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