LONDON, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Britain's consumer price index (CPI) rose by 3.3 percent year on year in March, up from those recorded in January and February as the Middle East conflict has led to motor fuel price hikes, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed on Wednesday.
The country's inflation rate stood at 3 percent both in January and February 2026. On a monthly basis, CPI rose by 0.7 percent in March, compared with a rise of only 0.3 percent one year ago, according to the ONS.
It said motor fuels made the largest upward contribution to the change in CPI annual rates.
The overall motor fuel prices surged by 4.9 percent year on year in March, making a sharp contrast to a fall of 4.6 percent year on year in February, and hitting the highest level recorded since January 2023.
Grant Fitzner, chief economist at the ONS, said the monthly cost of both raw materials for businesses and goods leaving factories rose substantially, driven by higher crude oil and petrol prices. He also noted that airfares alongside rising food prices were also upward drivers for the rising inflation.
David Bharier, head of research at the British Chambers of Commerce, said Wednesday's inflation figure is an early signal that the Middle East conflict is feeding through into official data and impacting the UK economy.
"With spiralling energy costs and sustained supply chain disruption, the March inflation figure is more likely to be a floor than a peak," he added.
UK's core CPI (CPI excluding energy, food, alcohol and tobacco) increased by 3.1 percent year on year in March, down from 3.2 percent registered in February, the data also showed. ■
