Higher food prices sap British consumer spending

People want to shop but inflation means they cannot afford non-essential items, says retail body

Retailers suffered tough trading in February after a squeeze on household incomes forced consumers to spend more money on food and essential items.

The British Retail Consortium, the lobby group for high street shops, said more of consumers' monthly salaries were being swallowed up by higher prices for food, leaving little cash leftover to spend on other items.

Inflation is when prices rise. Deflation is the opposite - price decreases over time - but inflation is far more common.