Most UK Trading Businesses Expect Prices to Hold Steady in July 2026, ONS Data Shows

New figures from the Office for National Statistics show 19% of trading businesses expect to raise their selling prices in July 2026, with energy costs remaining a key driver for those considering increases.

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The Numbers at a Glance

Walk into any shop, café or warehouse in Kent right now and the question on every business owner’s mind is the same: what do I charge? New data from the Office for National Statistics gives us a clearer picture of where things stand heading into summer.

The ONS posted the figures on its official account, and they paint a cautiously steady picture. According to the post, 19% of trading businesses across the UK expect the prices of the goods and services they sell to increase in July 2026. The ONS describes that figure as broadly stable compared with expectations for June 2026 — meaning the share of firms planning price rises hasn’t shifted much from one month to the next.

That’s the headline number. But it’s not the whole story.

Energy Costs Still Pushing Firms Towards Price Rises

Dig a little deeper and energy bills keep coming up. Of those trading businesses considering raising their prices, 27% cited energy prices as a factor in that decision. That’s more than a quarter of firms pointing to the same pressure — the cost of keeping the lights on, the machines running, the fridges cold.

It’s a pattern that’ll be familiar to anyone who’s watched their own energy bills climb For businesses, those costs don’t disappear — they either get absorbed into tighter margins or passed on to customers at the till.

According to the ONS, the data comes from a survey tracking short-term business sentiment and pricing expectations. The exact survey title and fieldwork dates weren’t confirmed in the materials released alongside the post, but the figures themselves are attributed directly to the ONS.

What’s Keeping Prices Stable for Most?

The flip side of that 19% is, of course, the 81% of trading businesses that are not expecting to raise prices in July. That’s the majority — and it suggests that, for now, most firms are holding the line. Whether that’s down to competitive pressure, cautious optimism, or simply the fact that costs haven’t tipped over a threshold yet, the data doesn’t say. But the stability month-on-month is a detail worth sitting with.

And from a consumer point of view, broadly stable expectations are better news than a sharp upward swing would be.

The Bigger Picture on Business Costs

Energy prices have been a recurring theme in business cost conversations across the UK, and these figures suggest that pressure hasn’t eased heading into mid-2026. For sectors like manufacturing, logistics, hospitality and retail — all of which have a strong presence across Kent — energy is a fixed cost that doesn’t flex easily when times get tight.

The ONS data forms part of a wider effort to track inflationary pressures in the economy before they show up fully in official inflation statistics. Business price expectations are, in effect, an early signal — a way of reading where consumer prices might head in the coming weeks.

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Key Takeaways

• 19% of UK trading businesses expect to raise their selling prices in July 2026, a figure the ONS describes as broadly stable compared with June 2026
• 27% of trading businesses cited energy prices as a factor when considering whether to raise prices in July 2026
• The majority of trading businesses — 81% — are not currently expecting price increases, suggesting conditions are holding relatively steady for now

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What This Means for Kent Residents

For households and businesses across Kent, these figures are a useful temperature check rather than an alarm bell — but they’re not something to ignore entirely. If you run a business in retail, hospitality, logistics or manufacturing in the county, energy costs are clearly still a live issue for your peers nationally, and it’s worth reviewing your energy contracts and pricing strategy before the summer gets underway. For Kent consumers, the broadly stable outlook is reassuring, though the 27% of firms flagging energy as a pressure point is a reminder that some price rises may still filter through to everyday goods and services — so keeping an eye on your household budget remains sensible. If you’re struggling with energy costs as a small business or household, the government’s business support helpline and Citizens Advice can provide guidance on managing bills and available schemes.