The cost of living rose more than expected last month as salad and vegetable shortages helped push up food prices at the fastest rate in 45 years.
Alcohol prices in restaurants and pubs also drove up costs for households, as inflation jumped to 10.4% in the year to February from 10.1% in January.
Clothing costs, particularly for children and women, rose last month but fuel prices continued to fall.
The surprise figures come ahead of a decision on interest rates on Thursday.
The UK’s central bank, the Bank of England, will decide whether to increase, lower or hold rates as it continues its battle to curb inflation.
It has put up interest rates 10 times since December 2021, as it seeks to make borrowing money more expensive and encourage people to spend less, with the aim of stopping prices rising so quickly.
To calculate inflation, which measures how prices change over time, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) tracks the prices of hundreds of everyday items.
It said the continued rise in food costs had been a big factor in February’s inflation figure, coming at a time when supermarkets were experiencing shortages of some salad items and vegetables.
Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers were among the goods affected as extreme weather in Spain and North Africa impacted harvests, and high energy prices hit growers in the UK. Problems with supply chains also contributed to the problem.
Along with higher prices for milk, olive oil and eggs, the ONS said the shortages helped push food inflation to 18.2% – the highest since 1978.
Source – BBC News
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