A mixture of reasons have been given by industry pundits, but a fall in pump prices is one factor. It is good news as the massive transport costs all companies have to bare have eased slightly as the nation's inflation rate, as measured by the consumer prices index (CPI), fell back from 2.7 percent in September to 2.2 percent last month.

It is doubly good news as the surprise fall in inflation is likely to put the kibosh on the Bank of England increasing interest rates this month. It moves the rate closer to the Bank of England's target  inflation rate of 2 percent.
Although house prices rose, food prices were cut along with education costs in the form of tuition fees dropping out of household budgets and the squeeze on fuel prices partly caused by a price war between supermarkets.

The AA reports: "Supermarket prices for unleaded are down by 5.3p. The gap between supermarket prices and the UK average for unleaded has shrunk slightly to 1.8ppl. In Europe, the UK has the 11th highest petrol price and the 5th highest diesel price."

For most print and sign firms fuel costs have been near to crippling in recent years as successive price hikes have inched the cost per litre above the £1.30p mark—with some pump prices hitting £1.40 for diesel across the country.