British food inflation climbs to 2.9% ahead of Christmas

Food inflation in the United Kingdom rose to 2.9% in October, up from 2.5% in September, according to data from the British Retail Consortium. The increase marks the highest level of overall shop price inflation in two and a half years, rising to 2.1% from 1.4% the previous month.

Prices for ambient goods, such as tinned and packaged items, saw the sharpest jump, with inflation accelerating to 3.2% from 2.2%. Fresh food inflation remained steady at 2.6%. Retailers indicated that rising energy bills, transport costs, and business rates are making it increasingly difficult to absorb expenses without passing them on to consumers.

The British Retail Consortium warned that the financial buffer retailers have maintained over the last two years is depleting. Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, stated that the dam is starting to break on the wave of costs retailers have absorbed. The industry is urging the government to reduce employment costs and scrap a planned 3.5% increase in business rates to prevent further price hikes.

Read the full story at aol.com.