Food Prices Up 5% in August, Inflation Hits Four-Month High – CSO
New estimates from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that food prices rose by 5% in August compared to the same month last year. Month-on-month, food prices increased by 0.4% from July.
Overall consumer prices, as measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), rose by 1.8% annually in August, up from 1.6% in July — the highest annual inflation rate since April.
Core inflation, which excludes energy and unprocessed food, increased to 1.9% in August, up from 1.7% the previous month.
Energy prices were estimated to have declined by 0.3% in August and fell by 0.1% compared to the same month last year.
The CSO noted that these are preliminary figures and may be revised when the final HICP data is released next month. The euro zone’s flash estimate is due to be published tomorrow.