Inflation increases from 1.52 % to 1.82 %

Consumer prices
Inflation increases from 1.52 % to 1.82 %

Consumer price index of May 2018

  • Inflation increases from 1.52 % to 1.82 % in May.
  • The consumer price index has increased by 0.22 point or 0.21 % this month.
  • Inflation based on the health index has increased to 1.49 %, up from 1.36 %.
  • The smoothed health index amounts to 104.65 points in May.
  • The most significant price increases in May were registered for motor fuels, holiday villages, electricity, domestic heating oil and cleaning products. However, vegetables have had a decreasing effect on the index.

The consumer price index amounts to 106.91 points in May 2018. It has increased by 0.22 point over the month. Inflation has gone up to 1.82 % from 1.52 %. The health index has gained 0.10 point to 106.99 points. Inflation based on the health index has gone up from 1.36 % to 1.49 %. The most significant price increases in May were registered for motor fuels, holiday villages, electricity, domestic heating oil and cleaning products. These have been mostly offset by price decreases for vegetables.

The consumer price index has increased by 0.22 point or 0.21 % in May 2018 and now amounts to 106.91 points, compared to 106.69 points in April 2018 (2013=100).

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The health index has gone up by 0.10 point to 106.99 points in May, compared to 106.89 points in April. The smoothed health index amounts to 104.65 points in May. The central index for public service and social benefits, set at 105.10 points, has not been exceeded. The last time the central index was exceeded was in May 2017.

Products with the largest increasing effect in May are motor fuels, holiday villages, electricity, liquid fuels and cleaning products.Vegetables provided the largest downward pressure compared to last month. The most important trends this month are:

Upward: Effect: Downward: Effect:
Motor fuels +0.110 point Vegetables -0.090 point
Holiday villages +0.030 point    
Electricity +0.030 point    
Domestic heating oil +0.020 point    
Cleaning products +0.020 point    

Prices of motor fuels have increased on average by 3.1 %. Holiday villages have become 3.9 % more expensive compared to last month. Prices for electricity have increased on average by 0.7 % in May. Domestic heating oil has gone up on average by 1.4 %. Prices of cleaning products have increased on average by 3.3 %.

Vegetables have been on average 4.6 % less expensive compared to the previous month.

Inflation now amounts to 1.82 % compared to 1.52 % in April and 1.39 % in March. Inflation based on the health index amounted to 1.49 % this month compared to 1.36 % in April and 1.32 % in March. Inflation without energy has increased to 1.48 % in May compared to 1.39 % last month and 1.42 % in March. Core inflation, which does not take into account price evolutions of energy products and unprocessed food, amounts to 1.44 % in May, compared to 1.38 % in April and 1.57 % in March.

Food inflation stands at 2.53 %, compared to 2.63 % in the previous month and 1.72 % in March. Fresh fruit now costs 11.7 % more than in May 2017. Fresh vegetables are cheaper: 5.4 % on an annual basis. Fish and shellfish are 3.8 % more expensive than a year ago. Eggs are 19.4 % more expensive than last year. Prices for non-alcoholic beverages are now 3.3 % higher than in May 2017. Prices for alcoholic beverages have gone up by 1.6 % on an annual basis. Tobacco prices have gone up by 6.5 % compared to May last year. Energy inflation is now running at 4.77 %, against 2.62 % last month and 1.11 % in March. Electricity is now 1.3 % less expensive than a year ago. Natural gas is 4.1 % more expensive than in May last year. Prices for domestic heating oil, calculated based on a smoothed 12-month moving average, have increased by 8.8 % in a year. Motor fuels are 11.0 % more expensive than last year. Inflation for services has gone up to 1.58 % from 1.34 %. Inflation for rents has decreased and now stands at 1.01 %, compared to 1.04 % in April.

The following products and services have registered the sharpest price increases compared to last year in May:

Upward Inflation:
LPG 24.5 %
Liquefied petroleum gas (butane and propane) 19.5 %
Eggs 19.4 %
Butter 18.5 %
Diesel 14.6 %
Postal mail 13.5 %
Other tobacco products 12.7 %
Fresh fruit 11.7 %
Newspapers 9.3 %
Domestic heating oil 8.8 %
Other milk products 8.2 %
Dental care 7.9 %

The following products and services have registered the sharpest price decreases compared to last year in May:

Downward: Inflation:
Software -7.6 %
Mobile telephone services -5.9 %
Potatoes -5.9 %
Mobile phones -5.5 %
Fresh vegetables, excluding potatoes -5.4 %
Computers -4.2 %
Coffee machines, tea makers and similar appliances -3.5 %
Data processing equipment -3.4 %
Cameras -3.1 %
Miscellaneous small tool accessories -2.6 %
Video equipment -2.6 %
Cookers, hobs and ovens -2.5 %

The main group with the largest upward effect on inflation in May was "Transport" with an effect of 0.25 percentage point. "Communication" had the largest downward effect on inflation, with -0.12 percentage point.

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The main group with the largest contribution to inflation is "Transport" with 0.51 percentage point. The lowest contribution to inflation was registered by the main group "Communication", with -0.03 percentage point.

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2013 = 100 February 2018 March 2018 April 2018 May 2018
Consumer price index 106.22 106.37 106.69 106.91
Inflation 1.48 % 1.39 % 1.52 % 1.82 %
Health index 106.54 106.71 106.89 106.99
Smoothed health index* 104.10 104.31 104.49 104.65
* defined in the law of 23 April 2015 on the promotion of employment (Belgian Official Journal of 27 April 2015)