Thérèse Coffey rules out help for farmers and consumers facing higher costs

Environment secretary Thérèse Coffey was speaking to the environment, food and rural affairs select committee. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

The government has ruled out making any intervention in the market to help farmers or consumers with high food prices, the environment secretary, Thérèse Coffey, has said.

Food prices have soared in the past year, in part owing to higher input prices such as energy, fertiliser and animal feed. Last month, food price inflation hit a fresh high of 12.4%, with poorer households hit hardest.