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Prices

15.9%
The price decrease of a 2.5kg bag of potatoes between 2007 and 2017

This chapter contains annual averages from the monthly Consumer Price Index and the Wholesale Price Index reports. We have also included data on the national average price (NAP) for some of the items in the CPI basket of goods and services.

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The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is designed to measure the change in the average level of prices of goods and services bought for the purpose of consumption by all private and institutional households in Ireland and by foreign tourists while on holiday in Ireland.

GoodsServicesAll Items
2000101.158.275.1
2001103.962.678.7
2002106.36782.4
2003108.570.285.2
2004109.572.687.1
2005110.375.489.2
2006111.780.192.7
2007112.986.897.3
2008116.291.1101.2
2009111.186.996.7
2010108.78795.8
2011110.190.298.3
2012111.59299.9
2013110.493.6100.4
2014108.195.5100.6
2015104.197.7100.3
201610199.9100.3
201798.9102100.7

Figure 18.1 shows the annual average indices (Base: Dec 2016=100) for All Items, Goods and Services for the period 2000 to 2017. Over the period 2000 to 2017, the CPI All Items increased by 34.1%. During this period, the cost of Services increased by 75.3% and the rate for Goods decreased by 2.2%.

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Every month, the CSO publishes a national average price (NAP) for some of the items in the CPI basket of goods and services. Figures 18.2 and 18.3 show the national average prices for some of these items for the period 2007 to 2017.  

20072008200920102011201220132014201520162017
Potatoes 2.5KG3.7783.733.374333333333333.263253.1833.387253.8313.0722.9453.1573.18175
Brown sliced pan 800g1.4231.7041.6781.650166666666671.7151.523251.547751.5171.354583333333331.357751.39033333333333
Milk - full fat 2 litres1.6012.0031.908251.795166666666671.8261.772251.801833333333331.7451.720583333333331.705416666666671.69475
Stout draught - bar 1 pt3.8113.9854.093166666666673.956333333333333.9523.99554.183666666666674.2984.3084.331583333333334.43233333333333
Petrol unleaded 1 litre1.1271.2121.116666666666671.314251.4941.631416666666671.581251.5251.3691.280583333333331.36391666666667
Diesel 1 litre1.0861.2571.0281.231666666666671.431.562333333333331.505751.4481.260166666666671.1461.24991666666667

It can be seen from Figure 18.2 that in the ten-year period from 2007 to 2017, the national average price for unleaded petrol increased by 20.4%, peaking in 2012 at €1.63 per litre. Similarly, the corresponding national average price for diesel increased by 14.7%, also peaking in 2012 at €1.56 per litre. In the period 2007 to 2017, the lowest national average price for both unleaded petrol and diesel in Ireland was in 2009 when they cost on average €1.12 and €1.03 per litre respectively.

The average price for an 800g brown sliced pan has decreased from €1.42 in 2007 to €1.39 in 2017, having peaked at €1.72 in 2011.

The average price of the humble potato decreased by 15.9% between 2007 and 2017 when it went from €3.78 to €3.18 for a 2.5 kg bag. Potato prices peaked at €3.83 in 2013 and were at their lowest at €2.95 in 2015.

20072008200920102011201220132014201520162017
Roast Beef - topside/rib 1KG9.58910.58310.7697510.50911.02211.838416666666712.817083333333312.94113.046108333333313.294333333333313.2560833333333
Cod Fillets 1KG17.75819.45616.724833333333315.625666666666716.11616.12215.707583333333316.09915.948583333333315.955515.9983333333333
Cheddar cheese 1 KG9.82111.6611.8712511.4022511.57311.120511.012916666666710.98410.4962510.280759.88191666666667
Whiskey - take home bottle 70cl24.54325.19125.259833333333322.644666666666722.05221.505583333333323.625333333333324.84524.9297525.281333333333324.7455
Gent's dry cut12.60813.2712.9247512.716666666666712.27511.921666666666711.765666666666711.84611.856511.937166666666712.115
Cigarettes - filtered 20 pk6.9817.4748.246258.417416666666678.5269.072759.330259.63110.092916666666710.767666666666711.4313333333333

Figure 18.3 shows that the national average price of a 20 pack of cigarettes has steadily increased from €6.98 in 2007 to €11.43 in 2017. 

The cost of men's dry haircut has remained relatively stable over the decade, costing €12.61 in 2007 compared to €12.12 in 2017.

Table 18.1 Industrial Producer Price Indices (excluding VAT)
     Base: Year 2015 = 100
Industrial sectorNACE Code201520162017
Food products (10)10100.099.5103.5
       Meat and meat products101100.097.699.8
       Fish and fish products102100.0110.3115.1
       Fruit and vegetables103100.098.995.1
       Vegetable and animal oils and fats104100.0100.495.6
       Dairy products105100.098.6119.2
       Grain milling, starches and animal feeds106,109100.099.899.1
       Bakery and farinaceous products107100.094.392.5
       Other food products108100.0100.2102.6
Beverages 11100.0101.296.2
Tobacco products (12)12###
Textiles 13100.0100.6100.3
Wearing apparel 14100.0100.3101.6
Leather and leather products (incl. footwear); dressing and dyeing of fur15100.099.999.9
Wood and wood products16100.098.796.4
Pulp, paper and paper products 17100.097.393.6
Printing and reproduction of recorded media 18100.097.495.1
Coke and refined petroleum products (19)19###
Chemicals and chemical products20100.099.198.9
Basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations21###
Rubber and plastic products 22100.097.095.5
Other non-metallic mineral products 23100.095.694.8
Basic metals24100.089.597.6
Fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment25100.096.195.0
Computer, electronic and optical products 26###
Electrical equipment 27100.092.684.8
Machinery and equipment n.e.c. 28###
Motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers29100.0100.0104.4
Furniture 31100.0102.4104.5
Other manufacturing 32###
     
Mining and quarrying 05 - 09100.0102.6110.5
     
Total manufacturing industries  100.0100.4101.2
Manufacturing industries (home sales) 100.0100.499.9
Manufacturing industries (export sales) 100.0100.4101.3
     
Total transportable goods industries  100.0100.4101.3
#Data suppressed for confidentiality reasons
Source: CSO

Interactive table: StatBank link

Table 18.1 shows the index numbers for the Industrial Producer Price Indices and the major sectors of the manufacturing industry for the period 2015 to 2017. The most notable increases were in Dairy products (+19.2%), Fish and fish products (+15.1%) and Furniture (+4.5%). The most notable decreases were in Electrical equipment (-15.2%), Bakery and farinaceous products (-7.5%) and Pulp, paper and paper products (-6.4%). Between 2015 and 2017, the index for Total manufacturing industries increased by 1.2%, while the index for Total transportable goods industries increased by 1.3%.

Table 18.2 Wholesale Price Indices (excluding VAT) for Building and Construction Materials
                   Base: Year 2015 = 100
Materials201520162017
Stone, sand and gravel100.0108.5117.3
of which:   
       Stone100.0107.0114.6
       Sand and gravel100.0116.0130.6
Cement100.0100.0103.3
Ready mixed mortar and concrete100.0100.7102.0
Concrete blocks and bricks100.0101.3102.3
Other concrete products100.0100.3100.3
of which:   
       Precast concrete100.0101.5106.3
       Other concrete products (Excluding precast concrete)100.099.798.4
Structural steel and reinforcing metal100.0102.7108.7
of which:   
       Structural steel100.0106.0113.4
of which:   
       Fabricated metal100.0106.8114.9
       Other structural steel100.099.5101.5
       Reinforcing metal100.097.7101.6
       Other steel products100.098.998.8
Rough timber (including plain sawn)100.0100.4102.7
of which:   
       Hardwood100.099.199.8
       Other100.0100.6103.1
Other timber100.095.395.3
of which:   
       Windows and doors100.0100.2101.2
       Other100.097.998.5
Bituminous macadam, asphalt and bituminous emulsions100.0103.4104.8
of which:   
       Bituminous macadam and asphalt100.0103.8105.0
       Bituminous emulsions100.092.697.0
Electrical fittings100.0101.6102.8
of which:   
       Lighting equipment100.0106.7107.5
       Protection & communication equipment 100.0100.1100.8
All other materials100.099.9103.7
of which:   
       Plumbing materials incl. sanitary ware100.0100.9100.9
       HVAC (heating & ventilation equipment) 100.0100.6101.8
       Insulating materials100.0101.0101.5
       Pipes and fittings100.097.5102.4
of which:   
              PVC100.0101.2104.1
              Copper100.096.3101.8
       Plaster100.0102.7107.6
       Paints, oils and varnishes100.0101.2101.9
       Glass100.096.3113.3
       All other metal fittings100.0104.3104.9
       All other products100.0100.2104.9
All materials100.0101.4104.6
Source: CSO

Interactive table: StatBank link

Table 18.2 shows the index numbers for Building and Construction Materials. The most notable increases here were in Sand and gravel (+30.6%), Fabricated metal (+14.9%) and Stone (+14.6%). The most notable decreases were in Other concrete products excluding precast concrete (-1.6%), Other timber excluding windows and doors (-1.5%) and Other steel products (-1.2%). Between 2015 and 2017, the index for All materials increased by 4.6%.

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