How the inflation rate is changing for food and drink items in your weekly shop

Inflation for everyday food and drink items is finally slowing down for some products

Inflation for everyday food and drink items, including cheese and rice, has slowed down.

This has helped balance the acceleration in energy price inflation, keeping the overall rate steady. The average price of coffee saw a significant slowdown, rising by just 0.8% in the year to January 2024 compared with a jump of 11.9% in the year to December 2023.

Other items like sauces and herbs, frozen vegetables, and mineral water also saw sharp slowdowns in price increases. However, some grocery items are still seeing accelerating inflation.

The average price of pasta and couscous was up 10.8% in the year to January compared with a rise of 6.6% in the year to December. Fruit and vegetable juices were up 12.2% compared with 10.4%, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Two staple foods, eggs and yoghurt, have also seen inflation quicken. Eggs were up 7.2% in January compared with a rise of 6.8% in December, and yoghurt was up 9.9% compared with 8.6%. A few items are still seeing prices drop year on year.

The average price of whole milk fell by 10% in January, a slightly smaller fall than December’s 11.% drop. Similarly, the average cost of butter decreased by 7.8% year on year, less than December’s 8.4% decrease.

Low-fat milk was down 6.1% in the year to January, the same as in the year to December, while jams, marmalades and honey were down 1.1%, a slightly steeper fall than the drop of 0.9% recorded in December.

Here’s a list of how the CPI inflation rate for food and drink items has either slowed or accelerated, ranked by the size of the change. Two figures are listed for each item: the average rise in price in the 12 months to December 2023, followed by the average rise in price in the 12 months to January.

Inflation has slowed for:

Coffee: Dec up 11.9%, Jan up 0.8%

Olive oil: Dec 45.8%, Jan 38.2%

Sauces, condiments and culinary herbs: Dec 18.4%, Jan 11.5%

Frozen vegetables other than potatoes: Dec 16.2%, Jan 11.5%

Mineral or spring waters: Dec 14.2%, Jan 10.7%

Sugar: Dec 21.3%, Jan 18.0%

Cheese and curd: Dec 5.1%, Jan 2.5%

Potatoes: Dec 9.6%, Jan 7.1%

Fresh or chilled fish: Dec 7.2%, Jan 5.2%

Margarine and other vegetable fats: Dec 2.2%, Jan 0.2%

Edible ices and ice cream: Dec 10.8%, Jan 9.2%

Rice: Dec 7.9%, Jan 6.4%

Fresh or chilled vegetables other than potatoes: Dec 10.7%, Jan 9.4%

Pizza and quiche: Dec 5.1%, Jan 4.0%

Crisps: Dec 11.8%, Jan 10.8%

Ready-made meals: Dec 6.0%, Jan 5.2%

Tea: Dec 11.3%, Jan 10.6%

Meat: Dec 7.2%, Jan 6.6%

Fresh or chilled fruit: Dec 6.7%, Jan 6.6%

Bread: Dec 2.2%, Jan 2.1%

Examples where inflation has accelerated:

Pasta and couscous: Dec up 6.6%, Jan up 10.8%

Cocoa and powdered chocolate: Dec 22.2%, Jan 25.1%

Fruit and vegetable juices: Dec 10.4%, Jan 12.2%

Yoghurt: Dec 8.6%, Jan 9.9%

Eggs: Dec 6.8%, Jan 7.2%

Dried vegetables: Dec 5.1%, Jan 5.4%

Preserved fruit: Dec 2.7%, Jan 3.0%

Dried fruit and nuts: Dec 10.3%, Jan 10.6%

Chocolate: Dec 9.8%, Jan 10.0%