Food prices fell 0.8% last month, following a small rise in August.

Lower September prices reflected seasonally cheaper fruit and vegetables, down 6.5%.

Grocery items fell 0.2%, with lower prices for butter and cheese.

That was countered by a 1.2% rise in the cost of meat, poultry and fish.

In the year to September, food prices have decreased by 1.6% overall, influenced by huge reductions in the cost of bread.

But during that time the cost of restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food has increased by 1.7%.