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What does the 1.4% figure mean?
The BRC-NIQ Shop Price Monitor’s annual rate compares prices during 1–7 September 2026 with prices a year earlier. At 1.4%, prices in its selected basket were higher than a year before, but the year-on-year increase was smaller than August’s 1.5%. The September rate was also below the monitor’s 1.3% three-month average? No: it was slightly above that average.
Inflation measures how quickly prices change, not whether prices are low or high. When inflation eases, prices may still be rising; they are simply rising more slowly than before. The BRC reported the September figures in its 29 September 2026 release.
Did UK shop prices go down in September?
No, not overall. The BRC’s month-on-month figures measure changes in price levels from August to September: the overall index rose 0.1%. Food prices fell 0.2%, while non-food prices rose 0.2%.
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| Measure | September 2026 change from August | September annual inflation |
|---|---|---|
| All shop prices | +0.1% | 1.4% |
| Food | -0.2% | 2.5% |
| Non-food | +0.2% | 0.8% |
The monthly and annual figures answer different questions. The +0.1% says the overall index was slightly higher than the month before; 1.4% says it was higher than a year before.
How did food and non-food inflation compare?
Annual food inflation slowed to 2.5% in September from 2.8% in August. Annual non-food inflation eased to 0.8% from 0.9%. Both remained positive, meaning those categories were more expensive on the year-earlier comparison even as their inflation rates declined.
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Fresh food inflation was 2.6%, down from 3.0% in August, and below its three-month average. Ambient food inflation—food that is shelf-stable—was 2.2%, down from 2.5%, but above its three-month average.
What did the BRC say was behind the slowdown?
The BRC attributed the figures to retail competition and promotions, while describing opposing pressures in particular categories. Its chief executive, Helen Dickinson, said promotions helped reduce meat and dairy prices; poor harvests across Europe pushed up fruit prices; and high global commodity prices kept chocolate and confectionery prices elevated. She also pointed to discounting on back-to-school non-food essentials such as books, stationery, footwear and electricals.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →These are explanations offered by the BRC, not proof that the same factors drove every price change or every household’s bill. NIQ’s Mike Watkins said retailers had maintained promotions and introduced some price cuts, while warning that tighter household budgeting was expected in Q4 and that retailers would need to absorb cost increases where possible. That is his forward-looking assessment, not a confirmed outcome.
Does 1.4% mean your shopping bill rose by 1.4%?
Not necessarily. The figure describes the BRC-NIQ monitor’s selected basket, not the spending pattern of a particular household. Your own grocery and shopping costs depend on what you buy, which shops you use, quantities, discounts and substitutions. A household that buys more of a category rising faster than the overall index may experience a larger increase; another may see a smaller one.
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The monitor covers 500 frequently purchased food and non-food items, online and in store. NIQ collects prices monthly in the same stores across five large urban areas, gathering around 6,500–7,000 price points per period. The BRC says product classes are weighted using household expenditure data. These are features of the index’s design, not September results. The BRC Shop Price Monitor methodology overview explains its coverage and purpose.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How is the BRC measure different from ONS inflation?
The Shop Price Monitor is an industry index focused on a selected set of retail prices. It is not the ONS Consumer Prices Index (CPI) and should not be read as the official inflation rate for the UK economy. Its narrower coverage does not capture all household costs, including housing and services, and it cannot establish the inflation rate for an individual shopper’s complete basket.
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