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LONDON – British shop price inflation sped up in May on the back of disruption and higher energy costs caused by the Iran war, according to a retail industry group which said the government had to do more to keep costs down.
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The British Retail Consortium’s monthly survey of major chains published on Tuesday showed that prices in May were 1.2% higher than a year earlier, up from a 1.0% rise in April.
Food price inflation slowed to 2.7%, its lowest in a year, from 3.1%.
Furniture and health and beauty products rose by the most reflecting rising raw material and shipping costs.
BRC Chief Executive Helen Dickinson said the government – which has pressed supermarkets to slow price increases and flirted with the idea of demanding price caps this month – had to play its part in bringing down costs for retailers.
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“Reducing the non-commodity charges, taxes and levies that make up more than two-thirds of energy bills, and cutting red tape would help keep inflation down,” Dickinson said.
Britain’s broader official consumer price inflation index fell to 2.8% in April but is expected to rise again to around 4% in the coming months due to the energy price shock.
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(Writing by William Schomberg; editing by Suban Abdulla)
Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.
This story was originally published May 25, 2026 at 11:48 PM.