While the furniture sector sees deflation with the fastest fall since 2016, carpets continue to buck the trend with prices still going up.
The monthly inflation figures from the Office for National Statistics saw consumer inflation reduce in February to 3.4% but in furniture, prices are now coming down i.e. deflation – 1.5% lower in January, 1.6% lower in February.
Floorcoverings appeared to be finally coming down in January too with a modest 0.5% decline but while smooth flooring is continuing this trend, carpet retail prices have turned up again, driving overall flooring inflation up again by 1.7% year-on-year in February.