Where has UK inflation increased and fallen? Flights, food prices and more

The UK’s inflation rate experienced a notable increase last month, propelled by significant price hikes in air travel, tobacco products, and live entertainment, new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed.

Despite a welcome deceleration in price rises for everyday groceries like butter and tea, consumers faced steeper costs in other areas.

Average air fares soared by 11.0 per cent year-on-year in December, a sharp contrast to the modest 0.3 per cent rise observed in November.

This surge is largely attributed to heightened demand over the Christmas period and school holidays, underscoring how seasonal factors can influence inflation figures.

Smokers also felt the impact, with the average price of cigarettes climbing 6.9 per cent year-on-year in December, up from 4.2 per cent the previous month.

Cigars saw a similar trend, rising 4.2 per cent compared to 1.7 per cent previously, with both increases stemming from a tobacco duty hike introduced at the end of November.

Tickets for cultural outings such as the cinema, theatre, and concerts also became more expensive, increasing 3.7 per cent year-on-year last month, a significant acceleration from November’s 1.3 per cent jump.

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Other categories experiencing faster inflation included women’s clothing, fridges and freezers, mineral water, and various food items such as pizza, quiche, breakfast cereal, crisps, and cheese.

The cost of pasta and couscous swung from annual negative inflation in November, when prices fell 4.2 per cent year on year, to positive inflation in December, with prices up 0.2 per cent.

An even larger swing was recorded for irons, which went from an annual drop in price of 7.7 per cent in November to an increase of 3.5 per cent in December.

The largest downward pressure on the UK inflation rate last month came from a handful of foodstuffs: margarine and other vegetables fats, where annual inflation eased sharply from 7.6 per cent from 0.8 per cent; butter, where the rate eased from 12.1 per cent to 8.9 per cent; and cocoa and powdered chocolate, down from 6.2 per cent to 2.1 per cent.

Prices fell faster in December than in November for heaters and air conditioners, coffee machines and tea makers, washing machines and children’s footwear.

There was also a slowing down in price rises for chocolate, tea and soft drinks.

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Below are some examples of how the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation rate has accelerated or eased.

Two figures are listed for each item: the average rise in price in the 12 months to November, followed by the average rise in price in the 12 months to December.