UK Shoppers Face Higher Bills as Fresh Food Inflation Accelerates
- Sarah-Jayne Gratton
- May 27
- 1 min read
Fresh food prices in the UK have experienced a notable increase, with inflation reaching 2.4% in May 2025, up from 1.8% in April. This marks the fourth consecutive month of rising costs, contributing to an overall food inflation rate of 2.8% .

The surge is primarily driven by escalating beef prices, attributed to reduced domestic cattle numbers, global shortages, and heightened international demand, particularly from China. While fresh food prices have risen, inflation for longer shelf-life items like ambient food has eased to 3.3% from 3.7% .
Despite these increases, overall shop prices remained unchanged in May. Non-food items, including fashion and electricals, saw price declines, with electricals experiencing sharper falls as retailers aimed to boost sales ahead of potential impacts from new US tariffs .
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has raised concerns about additional tax burdens, including employer national insurance hikes, a packaging tax, and the upcoming employment rights bill, which collectively add £7 billion in retail sector costs. BRC's chief executive, Helen Dickinson, warned that these policy-driven costs could lead to further price increases for consumers .
Broader UK inflation rose to 3.5% in April, the highest in over a year, driven by surging household bills. This has led to expectations of only one more interest rate cut by the Bank of England this year .
As fresh produce prices continue to climb, consumers may need to adjust their shopping habits and budgets accordingly.
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