Consumer price index of August 2025
- Inflation goes from 1.92% to 1.91% in August.
- The consumer price index this month decreased by 0.01 points or 0.01%.
- Inflation based on the health index has fallen from 2.08% in July to 2.03% in August.
- The smoothed health index amounts to 132.50 points in August.
- Core inflation, which does not take into account price evolutions of energy products and unprocessed food, stands at 2.30% in August, compared to 2.36% in July.
- The main price increases in August were registered for plane tickets, holiday villages, electricity, the purchase of vehicles and private rents. However, natural gas, household appliances, motor fuels, vegetables and travels abroad and city trips have had a decreasing effect on the index.
Inflation amounts to 1.91%, compared to 1.92% in July and 2.15% in June. Inflation based on the health index amounts to 2.03% this month compared to 2.08% in July. Inflation without energy now amounts to 2.33% compared to 2.41% last month and 2.66% in June. Core inflation, which does not take into account price evolutions of energy products and unprocessed food, stood at 2.30% in August, compared to 2.36% in July and 2.63% in June.
Comment on inflation
With regard to energy, inflation stands this month at -0.75%, compared to -1.86% in July and -1.75% in June. For electricity, inflation is currently at 13.4% compared to 11.8% last month. For natural gas, it decreased from 3.0% last month to 1.5% this month. The price of natural gas has decreased by 3.0% compared to last month and that of electricity has increased by 1.1%. Prices for domestic heating oil, calculated based on a smoothed 12-month moving average, have declined by 14.2% over a year. Motor fuels cost 2.4% less than in August last year and decreased by 0.9% this month compared to the previous month.
Inflation for services rose to 3.48% from 3.27%. Inflation for rents has decreased from 4.20% to 3.96%. Inflation for food products (including alcoholic beverages) stands at 2.42% this month, compared to 2.98% last month.
Energy inflation goes from -1.86% in July to -0.75% in August and accounts for -0.17 percentage points to the total inflation. Food, with an inflation rate of 2.42%, accounts for 0.46 percentage points.
The price of natural gas has decreased by 3.0% in August compared to the previous month. Prices for electricity have gone up by 1.1% on average this month.
Some products and services that rose sharply in price compared to August last year are:
| Upward: | Inflation |
|---|---|
| Domestic services | 21.8% |
| Other fuels (LPG) | 17.7% |
| Beef and veal | 16.5% |
| Attending recreational and sporting events | 15.6% |
| Costs for sewerage and waste water treatment | 14.0% |
| Electricity | 13.4% |
| Jewellery | 12.6% |
| Passenger transport by bus | 11.6% |
Some products and services that fell sharply in price compared to August last year are:
| Downward: | Inflation |
|---|---|
| Video equipment (television) | -17.7% |
| Domestic heating oil | -14.2% |
| Smartphones | -14.0% |
| Mobile telephone services | -9.3% |
| Computers | -8.4% |
| Freezers and refrigerators | -6.9% |
| Tumble dryers, washing machines, dishwashers | -6.7% |
| Men's clothing | -6.5% |
The main group with the largest upward effect[1] on inflation in August was “Hotels, cafés and restaurants” with an effect of 0.27 percentage points. The largest downward effect was measured for “Clothing and footwear” with -0.29 percentage points.
The main group with the largest contribution[2] to inflation in August is “Food and non-alcoholic beverages” with 0.45 percentage points. The lowest contribution was measured for “Clothing and footwear” with -0.17 percentage points.
The first inflation estimate according to the European harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP flash estimate) amounts to 2.6% in August 2025.
Comment on the level of the indices
The consumer price index has decreased by 0.01 points or 0.01% in August and now amounts to 135.35 points, compared to 135.36 points in July (2013=100). The health index has gained 0.04 points to 135.64 points in August, compared to 135.60 points in July. The smoothed health index amounts to 132.50 points in August. The next central index for public service and social benefits is set at 133.28 points.
The main price increases in August were registered for plane tickets, holiday villages, electricity, the purchase of vehicles and private rents. However, natural gas, household appliances, motor fuels, vegetables and travels abroad fand city trips have had a decreasing effect on the index.
The most important trends this month are:
| Upward: | Effect: | Downward: | Effect: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plane tickets | 0.070 points | Natural gas | -0.145 points |
| Holiday villages | 0.060 points | Household appliances | -0.065 points |
| Electricity | 0.045 points | Motor fuels | -0.040 points |
| Purchase of vehicles | 0.045 points | Vegetables | -0.035 points |
| Private rents | 0.030 points | Travels abroad and city trips | -0.030 points |
Prices for plane tickets have gone up by 8.9% on average in August. The price of holiday villages has gone up by 5.0% on average this month. Electricity has become on average 1.1% more expensive. The purchase of vehicles became on average 0.7% more expensive. Private rents were on average 0.3% more expensive.
In August, the price of natural gas decreased by 3.0% on average. Household appliances decreased by 6.8% on average this month. Prices for motor fuels decreased by 0.9% on average. Vegetables decreased by 1.5% on average. Travels abroad and city trips became on average 1.1% less expensive this month.
| 2013 = 100 | May | June | July | August |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer price index | 134.23 | 134.70 | 135.36 | 135.35 |
| Inflation | 2.01% | 2.15% | 1.92% | 1.91% |
| Health index | 134.54 | 135.04 | 135.60 | 135.64 |
| Smoothed health index* | 132.55 | 132.36 | 132.29 | 132.50 |
| * defined in the law of 23 April 2015 on the promotion of employment (Belgian Official Journal of 27 April 2015) | ||||
[1] The effect on inflation shows the changes on the inflation rate by including this product group in the CPI calculation. The effect not only takes the weight of the product group into account, but it also takes into account whether the product group inflation is higher or lower than that of the total expenditure (overall CPI).
[2] The contribution to inflation of a specific product group shows how much of the change in the total expenditure is due to the price variation of this product group.