FDF statement on April 2026 inflation figures

Dr Liliana Danila, Chief Economist, The Food and Drink Federation (FDF):

"Food inflation may have declined in April, but underlying pressures are building across the supply chain. Disruptions in the Middle East are pushing up production costs. The increases faced by manufacturers typically take between seven and 12 months to feed through into retail prices. However, higher energy costs affecting fresh produce – where there is little or no manufacturing involved – are likely to be reflected more quickly. Meanwhile a tidal wave of policy change, from the upcoming EU trade agreement to proposed changes to health regulation is going to add further pressure on industry.

“We need to learn from the inflationary spike we saw just last year, when a stacking of regulatory costs ended up in higher prices for shoppers. By acting now to delay regulatory burdens, Government can give food and drink manufacturers the headroom they need to deal with the impacts of the war in Iran, and minimise price rises for shoppers.”

Background

• Food and non-alcoholic drink prices rose by 3.0% in the 12 months to April 2026, down from 3.7% in the 12 months to March. On a monthly basis, food and non-alcoholic drink prices were steady.
• Prices rose the fastest for beef and veal (13.2%), fish (11.6%) and preserved fruit (10.7%).
• Prices fell for 11 categories, with the largest drops for olive oil (-9.3%), flours (-6.1%), and pizza (-4.4%).