Inflation has risen AGAIN to 10.4% in what Metro Mayor Dan Norris described as a “sucker punch” to West of England families.
The rate is up from the 10.1% that was recorded the previous month in January, the ONS said.
The price of food, as well as alcohol and dining out in pubs and restaurants, were the main drivers behind February’s rise.
Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices rose by 18.2% – the highest rate in 45 years. The ONS said some salad and vegetable items had gone up in particular following shortages and rationing.
Responding to the latest figures, Metro Mayor Dan Norris argued that after 13 years of a Conservative government many West of England families were now “feeling worse off” as he laid the blame at the door of Downing Street. He said: “We’ve all seen those sky-high prices in our local supermarkets – these are huge jumps compared to where we were 12 months ago. These latest figures will come as a sucker punch to hard-pressed West of England households. It shows the cost-of-living crisis is still biting hard – whatever the Government might think. Yet did the Chancellor choose to support hard-pressed locals in his Spring Statement? No – he chose to use the Budget to hand a £1bn bung to the top 1 per cent. Enough is enough. Ministers must bring forward Labour’s plan to drive up pay, transform workers’ rights and deliver good working conditions for all”.