What's costing more – and where are prices falling? Find out with our definitive inflation list

Those are the key questions to ask as the inflation figures are released.

While the overall level of inflation in August remained at 2.2 per cent, there was a wide variation in the rate across everyday goods and services,

The biggest movement was in the cost of air travel, with average prices jumping by 11.9 per cent in the year to August, having fallen by 10.4 per cent in the 12 months to July.

Butter and low-fat milk both saw similar swings from negative to positive inflation, with the price of butter up 0.9 per cent in the year to August after falling 3.9 per cent in the year to July, and low-fat milk rising 0.3 per cent in August after dropping 0.4 per cent in July, according to figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Grant Fitzner, chief economist at the ONS, said: “Inflation held steady in August as various price fluctuations offset each other.

“The main movements came from air fares, in particular to European destinations, which showed a large monthly rise, following a fall this time last year.

“This was offset by lower prices at the pump as well as falling costs at restaurants and hotels.

“Also, the prices of shop-bought alcohol fell slightly this month, but rose at the same time last year.”

Inflation accelerated for a range of everyday items, including the cost of cinema, theatre and concert tickets, which rose 9.2 per cent in the year to August compared with a jump of 4.4 per cent in the 12 months to July.

Other items going up in price include pizza and quiche, chocolate, women’s clothes and bread.

Some items saw prices falling less slowly last month than in July, most notably second-hand cars, the average cost of which dropped by 6.6 per cent in the year to August, having fallen by 8.4 per cent in the 12 months to July.

The price of household furniture was down one per cent in August, a smaller annual drop than 2.4 per cent in July, and there were similar trends for the average cost of fish, fruit and vegetable juices and rice.

By contrast, the rate of inflation eased last month for tea, which was up 3.5 per cent in the year to August compared with a jump of 8.4 per cent in July. Other items where inflation has eased are mineral water, ready meals, train travel and men’s clothes.

The average price of both petrol and diesel swung from positive to negative inflation, with the cost of petrol dropping by 4.2 per cent in August after rising 0.8 per cent in July, while diesel fell by 2.2 per cent last month after rising in July by 3.6 per cent.

Other items seeing a shift from rising to falling prices include yoghurt, down 3.1 per cent in the 12 months to August after jumping 2.8 per cent in July, children’s shoes, down 1.1 per cent last month after rising 2.9 per cent in July, and crisps, down 1.1 per cent in August after increasing 0.6 per cent in July.

Meanwhile, the price of coffee machines and tea makers fell more steeply in August – down 5.9 per cent – than in July when they dropped three per cent. Others seeing a sharper fall in prices include toys, sauces & herbs and pasta & couscous.

PRICES UP, PRICES DOWN:

Examples where inflation has accelerated, ranked by the size of the change:

Passenger air travel: Jul down 10.4%, Aug up 11.9%

Butter: Jul down 3.9%, Aug up 0.9%

Cinemas, theatres & concerts: Jul up 4.4%, Aug up 9.2%

Pizza & quiche: Jul up 0.8%, Aug up 4.3%

Chocolate: Jul up 6.7%, Aug up 10.0%

Cleaning equipment: Jul down 5.6%, Aug down 3.3%

Second-hand cars: Jul down 8.4%, Aug down 6.6%

Fresh or chilled vegetables other than potatoes: Jul up 4.1%, Aug up 5.4%

Women’s clothes: Jul up 2.6%, Aug up 3.9%

Bread: Jul up 1.1%, Aug up 2.2%

Coffee: Jul up 0.1%, Aug up 1.2%

Low-fat milk: Jul down 0.4, Aug up 0.3%

Potatoes: Jul up 5.4%, Aug up 6.0%

Meat: Jul up 0.7%, Aug up 1.0%

Examples where inflation has slowed:

Yoghurt: Jul up 2.8%, Aug down 3.1%

Diesel: Jul up 3.6%, Aug down 2.2%

Petrol: Jul up 0.8%, Aug down 4.2%

Tea: Jul up 8.4%, Aug up 3.5%

Children’s footwear: Jul up 2.9%, Aug down 1.1%

Edible ices & ice cream: Jul up 4.3%, Aug up 1.7%

Mineral or spring waters: Jul up 5.2%, Aug up 2.8%

Ready-made meals: Jul up 4.2%, Aug up 2.1%

Children’s clothes: Jul up 1.3%, Aug down 0.5%

Crisps: Jul up 0.6%, Aug down 1.1%

Passenger travel by train: Jul up 3.7%, Aug up 2.2%

Men’s clothes: Jul up 2.6%, Aug up 1.2%

Soft drinks: Jul up 2.4%, Aug up 1.5%

Men’s footwear: Jul up 1.4%, Aug up 0.6%