Overall, shops increased prices by 6.6% in the 12 months to October – the highest level since records began in 2005.
But fresh food has been most vulnerable to surging costs, rising by an average of 13.3% over the past year, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said.
The interest group’s food inflation figure lags well below the official rate of 14.5% which, the Office for National Statistics said, was the fastest pace since April 1980.
The BRC says the price increases reflect a tight labour market and jumps in energy costs for retailers.
