New data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) reveals that food inflation climbed to 5.1% in August, marking its highest point since December 2023, when it had reached 5.6%, reports RTE.
According to the CSO, prices rose across a range of food products last month, including butter (up 18.3%), milk (12.4%), bread (3.3%), beef and veal (22.7%), chocolate (16.3%), and coffee (12.1%).
Overall, the CSO reported that consumer prices were up 2% in the year leading to August, compared to a 1.7% annual increase recorded the previous month, reports RTE.
This marks the first instance of inflation hitting or exceeding 2% since April, when it reached 2.2%.
Measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices—which excludes mortgage interest costs—the CSO said inflation rose to 1.9% year-on-year, up from 1.6% in July.
Clothing & Footwear saw a 3.4% price increase in August compared to a year earlier, while Transport costs eased, dropping by 2.3%, the CSO noted, reports RTE.
The CSO also released its National Average Prices for selected goods and services in August, showing a 93 cent rise in the cost of a kg of Irish cheddar cheese, and a 91 cent increase for a pound of butter.
The price of two litres of full fat milk went up by 28 cent, while an 800g white sliced pan increased by 7 cent. An 800g brown sliced pan rose by four cent, and spaghetti (per 500g) climbed by one cent.
In contrast, there was a price drop for a 2.5kg bag of potatoes, which was down by 35 cent compared to August of the previous year, reports RTE.
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