Chocolate and butter prices help drive food inflation to 18-month high

Chocolate costs soar as times get tough for producers

High meat and tea costs drive up food prices

Why are food prices still rising

Food inflation hit 4.2% this month, compared with 4% in July, according to the British Retail Consortium latest shop price monitor. It is higher than at any time since March of last year, when it was 3.7%.

The figure echoes separate recent data from the Office for National Statistics, which found the cost of everyday food items rising

Helen Dickinson, the BRC's chief executive, said there was some respite for parents as the new academic year approaches, with cheaper clothing, books and stationery.

Ms Dickinson said staples including butter and eggs had seen "significant increases" due to high demand, tightening supply and increased labour costs.

"Chocolate also got more expensive as global prices of cocoa remain high owing to poor harvests," she said.

Poor cocoa harvests have been caused

"There was some respite for parents ahead of the new academic year, with lower prices for clothing, books, stationery, and computing."

Mike Watkins, head of retailer and business insight at NIQ, which compiles the BRC's shop price monitor, said the uptick reflected "several factors".

These included global supply costs, seasonal food inflation driven

"As shoppers return from their summer holidays, many may need to reassess household budgets in response to rising household bills," he added.

Increasing food prices added to increase in overall inflation in the year to July.

The latest official figures from the ONS put UK inflation - as measured

According to the ONS, the cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages rose 4.9% in the year to July, up from 4.5% in the year to June.

Its data also showed an even starker long-term