Overall, food inflation fell from 3 per cent in April to 2.2 per cent last month, while the cost of domestic heating oil fell too.

The rate of Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation was 2.8 per cent in May, unchanged from April, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said today.

UK CPI inflation held steady at 2.8% in May, below economist forecasts of 3%, easing concerns and boosting rate cut expectations from the Bank of England.