The latest consumer price index shows the biggest annual price reduction was in transport which was down nearly 5 per cent.
Clothing, as well as food and non alcoholic drinks also saw falls in price over the year.
However the price of education was up nearly 5 per cent in the last 12 months.
And the cost of housing, water, electricity and gas were all up nearly 2 per cent.
The figures show Consumer Prices increased in March by 0.6 per cent compared to February.
Business groups have used the figures to pour cold water on demands for pay rises.
The Small Firms Association said there can be no justification for an increase in the National Minimum Wage.
Meanwhile ISME called on employers to resist giving in to what it described as “unreasonable and uneconomic wage demands”.
