Inflation Slowed Down: We Started Buying 'Slower' and Less 0 10

Coffee Energizes Inflation

Unfortunately, the most important food inflation for the average consumer continues to pull the overall figure upward. In the group of food and non-alcoholic beverages, prices increased by 5.2% over the year.

The most significant contribution to the rise in average prices in this group over the year came from coffee (+34.2%). Price increases were recorded for poultry meat (+15.5%), eggs (+19.6%), chocolate (+17.2%), confectionery (+4.7%), dried, salted, or smoked meat (+2.5%), beef (+26.6%), and bread (+2%). Fresh fruits (+2.9%), dried, smoked, or salted fish (+17.9%), canned or processed fish and seafood (+8.8%), milk (+3.1%), tea (+12.1%), yogurt (+4.2%), and non-alcoholic beverages (+7.9%) also became more expensive.

On the other hand, fresh vegetables (-2.1%), olive oil (-8.9%), potatoes (-6.1%), flour, and cereals (-3.2%) became cheaper.

The average price level for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products increased by 2.1% over the year. Prices for tobacco products rose by an average of 9.4% over the year. Prices for alcoholic beverages, on the contrary, decreased by 1.8%, mainly due to the cheaper prices of strong alcoholic drinks and beer.

Electricity Drives the Dynamo of Expensiveness

For goods and services related to housing, the average price level increased by 6.2% over the year. Despite discussions that after joining the Northern countries' exchange, electricity in our outlets would become cheaper, this turned out to be a bluff. The most significant increase over the year was in electricity prices (+14.2%). The costs of property management services (+7.8%), heating (+2%), housing maintenance and repair services (+10.6%), rent (+6.6%), water supply (+6.7%), sewage (+8.9%), garbage collection (+5.1%), and natural gas (+2.2%) also increased. Solid fuel became cheaper (-2.3%).

In the "Healthcare" group, the average price level increased by 3.7% over the year. Over the year, the services of specialist doctors, dental services, laboratory medical analysis services, and radiological centers became more expensive.

For goods and services related to transportation, prices increased by 2.2% over the year, mainly due to rising fuel prices (+2.5%). Used cars became cheaper.

And Fast Food Went Up Too

The average price level for restaurant and hotel services increased by 5.4% over the year. The costs of catering services, including restaurants and cafes (+4.9%), canteens (+6.2%), and fast food (+8.2%) increased. Prices for hotel services rose (+2.7%).

In other consumption groups, prices for telecommunications services, clothing, television subscriptions, preschool education, higher education, nursing home services, leisure and sports services, and jewelry increased significantly over the year. Personal hygiene and beauty products, flowers, and auto insurance became cheaper.