Examples of where inflation eased in November – and where it accelerated

Price rises slowed last month across a range of everyday groceries, including cheese, pasta and breakfast cereals, which helped the UK’s overall rate of inflation drop to its lowest level since May.

Some items did see prices continue to rise, such as tea and coffee, but this was more than offset by a slowdown in inflation elsewhere – and not just in the cost of food.

The average price of a ticket to the cinema, theatre or a concert was up 1.3% year on year in November, lower than the jump of 4.7% recorded in October, according to Consumer Prices Index data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Inflation also eased for women’s clothing, with prices up just 0.6% year on year last month compared with 2.3% in October; while the average cost of men’s clothing was unchanged, down from a year-on-year rise of 1.1% the previous month.

A number of household essentials saw a swing from positive to negative inflation, the biggest being the average cost of irons: up 4.4% year-on-year in October, but down 7.7% in November.

Cleaning equipment, heaters, air conditioners, coffee machines and tea makers all saw a similar swing, with a year-on-year rise in price in October followed by a year-on-year fall last month.

Lower food costs were the main driver of the overall drop in inflation, however.

Price rises eased last month for a host of items, including pasta and couscous, ice cream, cereals, yoghurt, butter, margarine, cheese and crisps.

The cost of tobacco also helped to pull the rate down.

Cigarettes were up 4.2% year on year last month, compared with a rise of 7.3% in October, while cigars were up 1.7%, down from 4.8%.

The largest upward pressure on inflation came from the cost of train travel, which was up 6.6% year on year in November, higher than the jump of 4.3% in October.

Inflation accelerated for both fresh and frozen vegetables – not including potatoes – along with tea, coffee, soft drinks and fruit juices.

In addition, there was a small uptick in inflation for fast food and takeaway food services, as well as ready-made meals.

Below are some examples of how the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation rate has eased or accelerated.

Two figures are listed for each item: the average rise in price in the 12 months to October, followed by the average rise in price in the 12 months to November.

– Examples where annual inflation has eased, ranked by the size of change:

– Examples where annual inflation has accelerated: