British economy shows signs of strain from surging prices

'Anecdotal evidence suggests that there may be some signs of changes in consumer behaviour and lower demand in response to increased prices,' the Office for National Statistics said

In the three months to July, UK GDP was flat compared with the previous three-month period.

Britain's economy grew by less than expected in July, with a fall in power production possibly reflecting the sharp climb in energy tariffs and the construction sector also hit by the leap in inflation, official data showed on Monday.

The UK's gross domestic product grew by 0.2% from June. A Reuters poll of economists had pointed to month-on-month growth of 0.4% in July.