UK CPIH index: clothing
UK CPIH index: clothing stood at 122.1 in Aug 2026, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is one of the indicators in the Consumer price inflation table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 1988 to Aug 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Consumer price inflation table
| Indicator | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPIH index by group | |||||||||||
| Clothing | 122.1 | 121.3 | 122.5 | 124 | 123.7 | 123.1 | 122.4 | 121.4 | 126 | 125.7 | |
| Footwear including repairs | 100.7 | 100.6 | 100.3 | 101.3 | 101.1 | 100.8 | 100.4 | 101.3 | 102.4 | 103 |
Understanding UK CPIH index: clothing
Evaluating twelve-month consumer price shifts for garments and fabric materials across the United Kingdom, this index covers men's, women's, children's, and infant clothing, alongside clothing accessories and hire services. It explicitly excludes footwear and items intended for home furnishings, which occupy separate divisions. The basket reflects fast-fashion trends, seasonal wardrobe transitions, and shifts in international supply chain costs for textiles.
This series exhibits pronounced seasonality, driven by traditional clearance sales in early and mid-year periods, followed by the introduction of new seasonal collections. Month-on-month figures can be volatile due to these promotional cycles, making twelve-month comparisons necessary to assess underlying price momentum. Revisions are rare once initial collection prices are verified, but structural shifts in retail distribution channels can influence long-term comparability.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the clothing index include shoes and boots?
- No, footwear is tracked in a dedicated sibling category.
- How are seasonal sales handled in the pricing data?
- The index records actual transaction prices, capturing temporary clearance discounts.
- Why are twelve-month comparisons recommended over monthly changes for clothing?
- Predictable seasonal discounting creates artificial monthly volatility that annual rates smooth out.