Britain's M&S lowers or freezes price of more than 200 food products

(Adds inflation context in paragraphs 2 and 3, details of M&S prices in paragraphs 4 and 5) LONDON, June 19 (Reuters) - Britain's Marks & Spencer on Monday became the latest supermarket to cut food prices, adding to signs that a surge in inflation is set to abate.

Britain's Marks & Spencer on Monday became the latest supermarket to cut food prices, adding to signs that a surge in inflation is set to abate. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's key pledge to halve inflation in 2023 has been undermined by persistently high food inflation, which was running at over 19% in April, according to the most recent

official data , and 17.2% in May, according to

industry data .

Any signs that it could abate or even reverse in the coming months are being closely watched by the Bank of England, lawmakers and consumers ground down by a cost of living crisis into its second year. M&S said it has cut the price of 70 staple products, such as beef mince, Greek style yoghurt, salmon fillets, chickpeas and tortilla wraps, by between 3% and 25%.

The group is also locking the prices of 150 products until the autumn, including pork sausages, Cheddar cheese and coleslaw.