Rising food prices push inflation to 40-year high: Northern Ireland food banks braced for 'busiest winter on record' as donations from 'squeezed' households dry up

Jonny Currie, who leads the Trussell Trust charity's food bank network in Northern Ireland, made the comment as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Consumer Prices Index inflation reached 10.1% in September, compared with 9.9% in August.

The increase was driven largely by the continued rise in food prices, leaping by 14.5% compared with the same month last year, representing the largest annual rise since 1980, according to data modelling.

Mr Currie said food banks here are under increasing pressure on two fronts.

The number of people finding themselves without enough food to eat - including people with jobs - has increased.

Alongside the increase, Mr Currie said donations have taken a hit as those who might have previously given food to their local food bank are finding themselves increasingly "squeezed" by the rising prices.

"Speaking to the foodbanks in our network across Northern Ireland, I can certainly say that our foodbanks are increasingly worried about stock levels - in terms of donations - heading into the winter," he said.

"Foodbanks are incredibly reliant on donations from the general public, whether that's through donations made directly or through the bins that you see in the supermarket. While it does vary across the network, food banks in general are seeing those levels of donations - particularly in supermarkets - a bit more up and down than they used to be."

He continued: "What foodbanks are telling us is that more and more people are feeling squeezed themselves and therefore less able to donate to food banks.

"There's a sense that we're heading into the unknown. We're expecting this to be our busiest winter on record.

"Our food banks are seeing more people who are in work coming to a food bank than ever before."

He added: "Rising food prices do have an impact on how much people feel they can donate to our food banks - that's obvious. People have to make those very difficult decisions on their own shopping, which then impacts on how much they can give."

On the inflation figures, ONS director of economic statistics Darren Morgan said: “After last month’s small fall, headline inflation returned to its high seen earlier in the summer.

“The rise was driven by further increases across food, which saw its largest annual rise in over 40 years, while hotel prices also increased after falling this time last year.

“These rises were partially offset by continuing falls in the costs of petrol, with airline prices falling by more than usual for this time of year and second-hand car prices also rising less steeply than the large increases seen last year.

“While still at a historically high rate, the costs facing businesses are beginning to rise more slowly, with crude oil prices actually falling in September.”

The rise in inflation was above the expectations of economists, who had predicted a figure of 10%.

The 10.1% figure matches the 40-year high that inflation hit in July and remains well above the Government’s target of 2%.