Crisps, crackers and cake prices steady inflation

Inflation has held steady at four percent – surprising many economists, who expected rising energy bills to push it up last month.

Food prices fell for the first time in two and a half years – helping to offset the rise in gas and electricity costs from the price cap going up.

But inflation, while down from its height of 11 percent last year, is still double the Bank of England’s two percent target.