Annual inflation in our shopping baskets eased to 0.8% in April, down from 1.3% in March.

Latest analysis of retail pricing from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said the percentage rise was below the three-month average rate of 1.4% and that shop price annual growth is now at its lowest since December 2021.

Helen Dickinson, CEO of the British Retail Consortium, said: "One year on from the peak, shop price inflation levels are showing signs of normalising, providing relief to households. Both food and non-food have seen shop inflation rates ease to more manageable levels."

April's monitoring showed that non-food prices fell, especially in clothing and footwear, where retailers ramped up promotions to encourage consumer spend. Meanwhile food inflation slowed for the twelfth consecutive month, as fresh products such as butter, fish and fruits, continued to fall in price due to easing input costs and intense competition between grocers.

BRC analysis found inflation for non-food items dropped -0.6% in April, down from 0.2% in the preceding month. This rate was below the three-month average rate of 0.2%, and meant that inflation on non-consumables was is its lowest since October 2021.

Precise figures for food inflation showed a drop to 3.4% in April, down from 3.7% in March, which was below the three-month average rate of 3.9%

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Inflation overall is at its lowest since March 2022.

Ms Dickinson added: "While consumers will welcome the lower shop price inflation, geopolitical tensions and the knock-on impact on commodity prices, like oil, pose a threat to future price stability. Retailers will continue to do all they can to keep prices down, but Government has a role to play with pro-growth policies that allow businesses to invest in the customer offer."

Mike Watkins, Head of Retailer and Business Insight, NielsenIQ, added: "Whilst topline retail growth has slowed since in recent weeks as food inflation has fallen, it is good news for shoppers that the cost of their grocery shop is starting to stabilise and that the prices of many non-food goods are now cheaper than a year ago. To help shoppers manage household budgets, retailers continue to promote and this provides further savings and we expect this to continue to help drive overall demand."