Consumer Price Index March 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 2.0% higher in March 2025 compared with March 2024.

The most notable changes in the year were increases in Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+4.2%), Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+3.3%), Restaurants & Hotels (+3.2%) and Health (+2.6%). The only divisions to show a decrease were Clothing & Footwear (-1.9%) and Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.8%).

Consumer Prices in March, as measured by the CPI, increased by 0.7% in the month. During March of last year, prices rose by 0.5% in the month. The most significant monthly price changes were increases in Transport (+1.9%) and Restaurants & Hotels (+1.2%). The only decline was recorded in Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.1%).

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 (+0.63 pp), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+0.34 pp), Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+0.34 pp) and Miscellaneous Goods & Services (+0.25 pp).

The divisions to cause a downward contribution to the CPI in the year were Clothing & Footwear (-0.07 pp), Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.05 pp) and Recreation & Culture (-0.01 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.
• Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels increased primarily due to higher rents and mortgage interest repayments. This increase was partially offset by a reduction in the price of liquid fuels (home heating oil).
• Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages rose due to higher prices across a range of products such as milk, cheese & eggs, chocolate & confectionery, mineral waters, soft drinks, fruit & vegetable juices, and meat.
• Miscellaneous Goods & Services increased primarily due to higher health and motor insurance premiums. This increase was partially offset by lower prices for childcare services and jewellery, clocks & watches.
• Clothing & Footwear decreased due to sales.
• Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance fell mainly due to lower prices for household textiles and furniture & furnishings.
• Recreation & Culture decreased primarily due to lower prices for package holidays. This decrease was partially offset by increased costs for recreational & sporting services and recording media.

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 Restaurants & Hotels (+0.22 pp) and Transport (+0.21 pp). The only division which caused a downward percentage point contribution to the CPI in the month was Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.01 pp).

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

• Restaurants & Hotels rose mainly due to higher prices for hotel accommodation and an increase in the cost of alcoholic drinks and food consumed in licensed premises, restaurants, cafes etc.
• Transport increased primarily due to higher airfares. This increase was partially offset by lower prices for petrol and diesel.
• Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance fell mainly due to lower prices for household textiles.

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 March, while Goods increased by 1.1%. Services, excluding mortgage interest repayments, increased by 2.7% in the year since March 2024.

The CPI excluding tobacco increased by 0.7% in the month of March and rose by 1.9% in the year. The CPI excluding mortgage interest rose by 0.7% in the month and increased by 2.0% 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 1.8% compared with March 2024.

Table 19 details the COICOP sub-indices for the HICP. The most notable changes in the year were increases in Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+4.3%), Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+3.3%), Restaurants & Hotels (+3.2%) and Health (+2.7%). There were decreases in Clothing & Footwear (-1.9%), Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.9%) and Miscellaneous Goods & Services (-0.7%).

The HICP increased by 0.7% in the month. This compares to an increase of 0.3% recorded in March of last year.

The most significant monthly price changes were increases in Transport (+2.0%) and Restaurants & Hotels (+1.1%). There were decreases in Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.2%) and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (-0.1%).

National Average Price

National Average Prices for selected goods and services for March 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) decreased by 1 cent in the year to March 2025, while the same size brown sliced pan was unchanged in the year.
• Spaghetti per 500g increased by 2 cents in the year, while the average price for 2.5kg of potatoes was down 9 cents.
• The national average price of full fat milk per 2 litres was up 28 cents in the year, while butter per lb rose by 76 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 €2.39 was up 2 cents from March 2024, while a take-home 50cl can of cider at €2.69 was unchanged.
• In March 2025, the national average price of a pint of stout in licensed premises was €6.04, up 39 cents in the year, while a pint of lager was €6.44, up 37 cents compared with March 2024.