TL;DR
ONS price tracking shows beans, bread, sweets and crisps among the categories falling in price compared with last year as wider food inflation eases. The CPI food and non-alcoholic drinks index sits well below its 2023 peak but remains above the pre-2021 average.
Office for National Statistics price tracking shows beans, bread, sweets and crisps among the food categories falling in price compared with the same month last year, as the wider Consumer Prices Index for food and non-alcoholic drinks eases away from its 2023 peak. The CPI food index remains above pre-2021 levels but is now growing more slowly than the headline rate.
How food price tracking works
The Office for National Statistics tracks a representative basket of goods and services and produces the Consumer Prices Index each month. The food and non-alcoholic drinks division covers more than 100 individual categories, from bread and cereals to fresh fruit and snack foods.
Prices are collected from supermarkets, convenience stores and online retailers in locations across the UK. The basket weighting is reviewed annually to reflect changing household spending patterns.
What is falling in price
Recent ONS releases show baked beans, sliced bread, sweets and crisps among the categories that have fallen year-on-year. The falls are partly driven by lower wholesale grain prices, easing energy costs feeding through to packaging, and competitive supermarket pricing.
Promotion patterns also affect the headline figures. The ONS adjusts for promotion frequency but unusually strong supermarket deal cycles can pull the average price lower in a given month.
What remains expensive
Fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products and olive oil have continued to rise faster than the headline rate in 2025 and into 2026. Olive oil is particularly affected by drought in Mediterranean producer countries.
Meat prices remain above the pre-2021 average although the rate of increase has slowed. Lamb and beef prices in particular have moved with farm-gate prices and import patterns since EU exit.
How the CPI breakdown is used
Government departments use the CPI food index to update benefit rates, including Universal Credit, Pension Credit and child benefit, each April. The Bank of England uses the headline CPI to set monetary policy through the Base Rate.
Consumers can use the ONS quarterly food and drink dashboards to plan grocery spending. The dashboards show price movement by category and identify where switching brands or store can save money.
Supermarket response and budgeting
Major supermarkets have introduced or expanded value-tier ranges and meal-deal promotions to compete on price. Discounters Aldi and Lidl continue to pressure the big four supermarkets on entry-level prices.
Households on tight budgets can use the Money Saving Expert downshift challenge to test whether moving down a brand tier maintains acceptable quality. Citizens Advice publishes a free budgeting calculator that includes food spending as a category.
Key facts
- ONS food index is below the 2023 peak.
- Beans, bread, sweets and crisps among falling categories.
- Olive oil and dairy remain among the fastest-rising items.
- ONS publishes CPI monthly.
- Benefit rates updated each April using the CPI food index.
FAQ
Are food prices going down overall?
Wider food prices are rising more slowly than during the 2022-23 inflation spike, and some specific categories such as beans, bread, sweets and crisps are falling year-on-year. The overall food and non-alcoholic drinks index remains above the pre-2021 average.
Why is olive oil still expensive?
Olive oil prices have been driven up by drought in Mediterranean producer countries, particularly Spain and Italy. Wholesale prices have eased recently but retail prices remain well above pre-2022 levels.
How do food prices affect benefit rates?
Government departments use the CPI to uprate Universal Credit, Pension Credit, child benefit and other benefits each April. The food index feeds into the headline CPI used for the calculation.
Where can I see the official figures?
The Office for National Statistics publishes the CPI each month at ons.gov.uk. The food and non-alcoholic drinks dashboard shows movement by category over the latest periods.
