Overall shop prices are now 6.6% higher than they were this time last year – also a record – but food inflation jumped well above September’s 10.6% and the three-month average rate of 9.7%, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC)-Nielsen Shop Price Index.
Fresh food prices are now 13.3% more than last October, up from 12.1% in September.
Non-food inflation accelerated to 4.1%, up from 3.3% in September.
BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “It has been a difficult month for consumers who not only faced an increase in their energy bills, but also a more expensive shopping basket.
“Prices were pushed up because of the significant input cost pressures faced by retailers due to rising commodity and energy prices and a tight labour market.”
