FDBusiness.com

UK prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages fell by 1.4% between February and March this year compared with a rise of 0.3% between the same two months a year ago, according to the Office for National Statistics. The 1.4% this year was a record fall for a February to March period.

The downward effects were widespread and reflected supermarket led sales this year. The most notable contributions came from fruit where prices fell by 4.7% this year (also a record February to March movement) but rose by 0.7% a year ago, and bread and cereals where prices fell by a record 2.6% this year compared with a fall of 0.2% a year ago

The downward pressure from food and non-alcoholic beverages was a major contributor to a drop in CPI (Consumer Price Index) annual inflation, which was down from 4.4 per cent in February to 4.0% in March.