Consumer Price Index February 2025

Headline Table and Graph

Figure 1 shows the development of the CPI and HICP over recent months. It also shows the recent difference between the CPI and HICP. This difference is primarily due to the fact the CPI includes mortgage interest whereas the HICP does not include mortgage interest.

Annual and Monthly Price Changes

Prices on average, as measured by the CPI, were 1.8% higher in February 2025 compared with February 2024.

The most notable changes in the year were increases in Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+3.7%), Restaurants & Hotels (+3.1%), Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+2.5%) and Miscellaneous Goods & Services (+2.5%). The only divisions to show a decrease were Clothing & Footwear (-4.1%) and Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.8%).

Consumer Prices in February, as measured by the CPI, increased by 0.9% in the month. During February of last year, prices rose by 1.0% in the month. The most significant monthly price changes were increases in Clothing & Footwear (+6.1%) and Recreation & Culture (+2.3%). The only declines were recorded in Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (-0.8%) and Communications (-0.2%).

Contributions to the Overall CPI

Annual Change

Table 3 shows the contribution of each 2-digit COICOP¹ division to the overall change in the CPI. A detailed breakdown of the individual components of each of the 12 COICOP divisions is presented in Tables 4 to 15.

The divisions which caused the largest upward percentage point (pp) contributions to the CPI in the year were Restaurants & Hotels (+0.62 pp), Transport (+0.30 pp), Miscellaneous Goods & Services (+0.26 pp) and Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+0.25 pp).

The only divisions to cause a downward contribution to the CPI in the year were Clothing & Footwear (-0.19 pp) and Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.04 pp).

The main factors contributing to the annual change were as follows:

• Restaurants & Hotels rose mainly due to higher prices for alcoholic drinks and food consumed in licensed premises, restaurants, cafes etc. This increase was partially offset by a reduction in the cost of hotel accommodation.
• Transport increased primarily due to higher prices for airfares, petrol, diesel and the maintenance & repair of personal transport equipment. This increase was partially offset by a reduction in the cost of motor cars.
• Miscellaneous Goods & Services rose mainly due to higher health and motor insurance premiums and an increase in prices in hairdressing salons & personal grooming establishments. This increase was partially offset by lower prices for childcare services and jewellery, clocks & watches.
• Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages increased due to higher prices across a range of products such as chocolate & confectionery, milk, cheese & eggs, mineral waters, soft drinks, fruit & vegetable juices, and bread & cereals.
• Clothing & Footwear decreased due to lower prices for garments and shoes & other footwear.
• Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance fell mainly due to lower prices for household textiles.

¹_{Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose Adapted to the Needs of Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (2000).}

Monthly Change

The divisions which caused the largest upward percentage point contributions to the CPI in the month were Clothing & Footwear (+0.24 pp) and Recreation & Culture (+0.19 pp). The only divisions which caused downward percentage point contributions to the CPI in the month were Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (-0.03 pp) and Communications (-0.01 pp).

The main factors contributing to the monthly change were as follows:

• Clothing & Footwear increased due to a recovery from sales.
• Recreation & Culture rose mainly due to higher prices for participation in recreational & sporting services and an increase in the cost of package holidays.
• Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco decreased primarily due to lower prices for wine and spirits sold in supermarkets and off licences.
• Communications fell mainly due to a reduction in the cost of telephone equipment & services.

CPI sub-indices

Tables 4 to 15 detail all COICOP¹ sub-indices of the CPI.

Table 2 and table 17 detail selected consumer price index sub-indices. The sub index for Services rose by 2.6% in the year to February, while Goods increased by 0.3%. Services, excluding mortgage interest repayments, increased by 2.7% in the year since February 2024.

The CPI excluding tobacco increased by 0.8% in the month of February and rose by 1.6% in the year. The CPI excluding mortgage interest rose by 0.8% in the month and increased by 1.7% in the year.

¹_{Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose Adapted to the Needs of Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (2000).}

Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices

Prices on average, as measured by the EU Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), increased by 1.4% compared with February 2024.

Table 19 details the COICOP sub-indices for the HICP. The most notable changes in the year were increases in Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+3.7%), Restaurants & Hotels (+3.1%), Transport (+2.8%) and Health (+2.5%). There were decreases in Clothing & Footwear (-4.2%), Miscellaneous Goods & Services (-1.0%), Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.7%) and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (-0.1%).

The HICP increased by 0.8% in the month. This compares to an increase of 1.1% recorded in February of last year.

The most significant monthly price changes were increases in Clothing & Footwear (+5.9%) and Recreation & Culture (+2.3%). There were decreases in Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (-0.7%) and Communications (-0.2%).

National Average Price

National Average Prices for selected goods and services for February 2025 are detailed in Table 20.

Looking at the National Average Prices of some staple items:

• The national average price for bread (large (800g) white sliced pan) was unchanged in the year to February 2025, while the same size brown sliced pan reduced by 1 cent in the year.
• Spaghetti per 500g increased by 3 cents in the year, while the average price for 2.5kg of potatoes was down 1 cent.
• The national average price of full fat milk per 2 litres was up 26 cents in the year, while butter per lb rose by 70 cents and the average price of Irish cheddar per kg increased by 50 cents.
• The national average price of a take-home 50cl can of lager at €2.42 was up 7 cents from February 2024, while a take-home 50cl can of cider at €2.69 was up 2 cents.
• In February 2025, the national average price of a pint of stout in licensed premises was €5.93, up 29 cents in the year, while a pint of lager was €6.32, up 26 cents compared with February 2024.