Inflation remained unchanged at 4.5% in May, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The largest upward pressure on the UK Consumer Price Index (CPI) came from food and non-alcoholic drinks, where prices rose by 1.3% between April and May this year compared to a 0.1% fall between the same two months a year ago. Price increases came from a wide range of food products, most notably fruit and meat.
There were also large upward pressures from alcohol and tobacco.
Downward pressures came from transport services and furniture, household equipment and maintenance, where prices rose by 0.4% between April and May this year compared with a rise of 1.2% a year ago.
The UK’s CPI was substantially above the EU as a whole, which had a CPI of 3.2% for the month.
The Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure of inflation - which includes mortgage interest payments – also remained unchanged at 5.2%.
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