Food and drink inflation slowed in the 12 months to June 2026 according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.

The food and non-alcoholic beverage prices went up by 1.7 per cent, which marks a decrease from the 2.2 per cent in the previous month.

This rate marks the lowest figure since August 2024, when inflation was 1.3 per cent. The food and drink prices went down by 0.2 per cent in June 2026 on a monthly basis compared with an increase of 0.3 per cent a year ago.

There were small downward effects from the sugar, jam, syrups, chocolate and confectionery categories, which contributed 0.02 percentage points to the change in the CPIH inflation range.

The prices of oils and fats and dairy decreased in June 2026 compared to an increase at the same time last year.

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However, meat and vegetable prices went up in June 2026 but at a slower rate than in June 2025.

The overall inflation in the UK increased by 0.2 per cent in June 2026 compared with a rise of 0.3 per cent in June 2025.

Dr Liliana Danila, chief economist, The Food and Drink Federation, said: “It’s positive to see food and drink manufacturers managing to keep food prices stable in the face of rising input costs. What’s become clear is that food manufacturers have worked hard since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to diversify their supply chains and shore up their resilience against further major supply shocks.

“We continue to anticipate rising food price inflation as the year goes on; however, this is likely to be lower, come later and plateau for longer than the previous inflationary cycle.”