Inflation jumps to 10.4 per cent after falling for three months

Inflation has unexpectedly jumped to 10.4 per cent after dropping for three consecutive months, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has confirmed.

It comes after vegetable shortages pushed food prices to their highest rate in more than 45 years.

Many economists were expecting CPI to fall to 9.9 per cent in February.

Data indicated that rising prices of drinks in pubs and restaurants also drove inflation higher.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: “Falling inflation isn’t inevitable, so we need to stick to our plan to halve it this year.”

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