Flooring retail inflation almost doubled in April, hitting its highest rate for more than a year.
The rate jumped from 15% to 2.7% last month, according to ONS data.
Since October 2025, the rate has been 1.1%, 1%, 2%, 1.1%, 1.8%, 1.5% and 2.7%.
Flooring inflation is expected to rise further in the coming months as price rises caused by the conflict in the Middle East filter through to retail prices: suppliers have been issuing frequent upward price lists in recent weeks.
Carpets and rugs saw the greatest inflationary impact in April, with the sector seeing prices 2.8% higher: up from March’s 1.8%, and easily the highest rate in. more than a year.
Smooths saw its first retail inflation in over 12 months, with the rate of increases climbing to 1.7%.
In March the sector experienced deflation – as it has done in all but one month in the past year (and even then there was no inflation) – of 1.2%.
