Food Inflation Eases As Holiday Promotions Kick In, BRC Data Shows

Food price inflation in the UK eased markedly in November, according to the latest British Retail Consortium (BRC)–NIQ Shop Price Monitor report.

Fresh food inflation slowed to 3.6 per cent year-on-year — down from 4.3 per cent in October — marking one of the sharpest drops seen in recent months. Overall shop price inflation also continued its downward trajectory, suggesting that competitive pressures in the retail sector are helping to curb rising costs for households.

Much of this cooling has been linked to a surge in seasonal promotions. Supermarkets launched their Black Friday and early Christmas deals earlier than usual as they battled to attract price-sensitive shoppers. With consumer confidence still fragile after a year of cost-of-living pressures, retailers have leaned heavily into discounting to maintain footfall and market share. The combination of widespread offers and falling input costs in specific categories has provided some welcome relief at the tills.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “Black Friday deals began earlier than normal as competition between retailers hit fever pitch.” She added that with Budget uncertainty behind us, retailers are “hoping that consumer confidence rebounds in this crucial trading period and they will continue doing everything they can to keep prices down and help customers’ money go further this Christmas.”

However, the picture remains uneven across the food sector. Staples such as oils, fats, meat and fish continue to experience upward price pressure due to higher production and supply-chain costs, meaning many families are not feeling the full benefit of the slowdown. Analysts also caution that rising employment costs and ongoing supply-chain challenges could start feeding through to shelf prices again in 2026.

For now, though, retailers are banking on festive momentum to sustain demand — and shoppers are likely to see continued promotional activity as Christmas draws closer.