CSO: Food prices increase by 4% in past year
Food prices are estimated to have risen by more than 4% since last year according to the latest data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) today (Friday, May 30).
The EU Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) for Ireland is estimated to have risen by 1.4% in the 12 months to May 2025 and remained unchanged since April 2025.
This compares with HICP inflation of 2% in Ireland in the 12 months to April 2025 and an annual increase of 2.2% in the HICP for the eurozone in the same period.
Looking at the components of the flash HICP for Ireland in May 2025, food prices are estimated to have increased by 1% in the last month and by +4.1% in the last 12 months.
Energy prices are estimated to have fallen by 1.3% in the month and decreased by 2.6% over the 12 months to May 2025.
The HICP, excluding energy and unprocessed food, is estimated to have gone up by 1.8% since May 2024.
Eurostat will publish flash estimates of inflation from the EU HICP for the eurozone for May 2025 on June 3, 2025.
Commenting on the data published today, statistician in the CSO Prices Division, Anthony Dawson said: “The latest flash estimate of the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), compiled by the CSO, indicates that prices for consumer goods and services in Ireland are estimated to have increased by 1.4% in the past year.
"Looking at the components of the flash HICP in Ireland for May 2025, energy prices are estimated to have decreased by 1.3% in the month and fallen by 2.6% since May 2024.
"The HICP, excluding energy and unprocessed food prices, is estimated to have risen by 1.8% since May 2024.
"Food prices are estimated to have grown by 1% in the last month and increased by 4.1% in the last 12 months. Transport costs have fallen by 3% in the month and decreased by 2.4% in the 12 months to May 2025," he added.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is the official measure of inflation for Ireland and is published monthly by the CSO.
The CPI release for May 2025 will be published on June 12, 2025 and the final results of the HICP for Ireland for May 2025 will be published as part of the CPI release.
The HICP is an index of consumer prices that has been harmonised to allow comparisons across eurozone countries.
The CSO compiles the HICP flash estimates and final results for Ireland and submit those to Eurostat which then compiles the eurozone estimate and publishes that along with the results for the countries within the eurozone.
