Retail egg prices are at their lowest level since January, at the end of a summer of slower demand and rising supplies.

Latest figures on inflation from the ONS* show that the retail price index (RPI) for eggs was down by 0.5% between July and August, from 318.4 to 316.9 (Jan 1987 = 100). Since their high point in April (320.8), average prices have come down by 1.2%.

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At the same time, the annual inflation rate on eggs has dropped to 2.0% this August, from a peak of 4.4% in March. In August last year, the index was 310.7.

While egg prices have been receding, inflation on food in general has also slowed right down. The average RPI for all food categories recorded a monthly rise of just 0.3% between July and August. The annual rate of food inflation has dropped to 1.5% in August, from 4.7% in March.

All of this means that, although the headline inflation rate across the UK economy has ticked up again in August, food is no longer one of the main drivers behind this, which it was earlier in the year. Instead, the current focus of inflation has now switched to the price of energy in particular.

Transport

According to the ONS, the main measure of inflation in the economy, the Consumer Prices Index  including owner-occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH), rose by 3.3% in the 12 months to August 2026, up from 3.1% the previous month. The CPI (without owner-occupiers’ housing costs) rose by 3.1% from 2.9%.

“Transport, particularly motor fuels, made the largest upward contribution to the monthly change in both CPIH and CPI annual rates,” said the ONS.

Meanwhile meat prices, including poultry meat, are stabilising. The RPI for the poultrymeat category in August was virtually unchanged from July, while compared with a year earlier, prices were actually down, by 0.4%.

Other protein

Pork prices were unchanged on a year earlier, after being up as much as 7% back in January.

The annual inflation on beef prices had slipped back to 1.7% by August, having started the year at a very high rate of 24.7%. Lamb is currently showing the largest price rises, at 4.2% year-on-year.

According to the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS), a combination of hot weather and holidays had contributed to “a near no-change position across the month” in its supermarket price report for meat and poultry in August.

“Overall, average prices for the AIMS basket of 30 fresh British beef, lamb, pork, and chicken cuts rose by just 0.08% (+£0.01p/kg) during the month,” said Tony Goodger, the Association’s head of communications.

Value

“Pork and chicken continue to be the home of good value within the overall protein category, with the former (pork) down £0.11p/kg (-1.56%), and the latter almost unchanged, during the month,” he continued.

“Looking at the last twelve months, August 2026 shows, for the first time since we started reporting on supermarket prices, no change versus August 2025.”

Within this, the AIMS survey had identified slightly larger price movements than the official RPI. Compared with a year ago, beef was down 2.75% in August, pork by 4.66% and fresh chicken by 5.78%. Meanwhile lamb had risen overall by £1.15p/kg (+6.9%)

“We have spoken about protein switching over the last six months. The key chicken lines of breast portions and thigh fillets have dropped by 10.2% and 13.9% respectively. These are highly popular and versatile cuts for a wide range of eating occasions, and it is of note that a significant amount of supermarket advertising, both in store and out of store, is focused on chicken.”

*Office for National Statistics