The Statistics Division within the Ministry of Finance and Corporate Governance has reported a 1.2 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the twelve months ending July 2025, reflecting continued inflationary pressures across key sectors of the economy.
According to the latest data, the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages index rose by 1.0 percent after a 1.0 percent decline in June. The All Items Less Food and Energy index increased by 1.3 percent over the same twelve-month period, driven largely by higher costs in restaurants and hotels, transport services, health, and alcoholic beverages.
Within the food category, prices rose 1.4 percent compared to the previous twelve months. The increase was led by higher costs for fruits (+14.6%), meats and meat products (+4.8%), and bread and cereals (+3.3%). Among individual items, red seedless grapes increased by 66.7 percent, green bananas and pears by 16.2 percent each, gala apples by 3.5 percent, and ripe bananas by 2.9 percent.
Other subcategories contributing to the rise included Milk, Cheese, and Eggs (+1.9%) and Sugar, Jams, Honey, Chocolate, and Confectionery (+1.1%).
On a month-to-month basis, the CPI for July 2025 increased by 1.4 percent—up from 1.0 percent in June. The index for food rose 1.0 percent during the month, marking its second consecutive increase since April. Seven of the nine major grocery food groups recorded gains, including a 3.6 percent rise in the index for sugars and confectionery and a 3.0 percent increase in milk, cheese, and eggs, with preserved milk products showing the sharpest growth at 5.3 percent.
The index for fish and seafood increased by 2.4 percent, while fresh and frozen varieties rose by 3.3 percent.
Meanwhile, the All Items Less Food and Energy index climbed 1.6 percent in July. The recreation and culture category saw a 6.5 percent rise, largely driven by a 50.6 percent increase in games, toys, and hobbies. Transport also increased by 6.5 percent, influenced by a 20.4 percent surge in transport services. The index for housing rentals grew 1.9 percent, and materials for home maintenance and repair rose 3.2 percent.
The Statistics Division emphasized that the CPI measures the average change in prices paid by households for goods and services, serving as the country’s main indicator of inflation. Data are collected monthly from supermarkets and service providers, based on household expenditure patterns.
