The annual rate of inflation across the Group of 20 largest economies increased for the second straight month in March.
Economists had forecast a smaller rise in the consumer price index (CPI) to 2.6%. Annual inflation has been running persistently above the Bank of England's 2% target for more than three years.
In December 2014, consumer prices decelerated to 2.7 percent in December, compared with 3.7 percent in November and 4.1 percent a year earlier.
The core rate of inflation for the OECD area—which excludes energy and food—was unchanged at 1.7%.