Informations Rapides · 15 April 2026 · n° 90

In March 2026, consumer prices rose by 1.0% over one month and by 1.7% year on year Consumer price index - final results - March 2026

In March 2026, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 1.0% over one month, after +0.6% in February. This inflation was due to the surge in energy prices (+8.9% after +0.3%), pushed by those of petroleum products (+17.1% after +1.8%). The prices of manufactured products increased less than in February (+0.7% after +1.4%) as did those of services (+0.2% after +0.5%) and those of tobacco (+0.3% after +0.4%). The prices of food also increased slightly (+0.1% after stability).

Seasonally adjusted, consumer prices increased by 0.8% in March 2026 after +0.2% in February.

Year on year, consumer prices rose by 1.7% in March 2026 after +0.9% in February. The increase in inflation was mostly due to the strong rebound in energy prices (+7.4% after ‑2.9%), particularly those of petroleum products. The prices of services accelerated slightly (+1.7% after +1.6%) as did those of tobacco (+3.2% after +3.0%). Conversely; the prices of food decelerated over one year (+1.8% after +2.0%) and those of manufactured products fell more markedly (‑0.5% after ‑0.2%).

Year on year, core inflation stood at +1.1% in March 2026, after +0.9% in February.

The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) increased by 1.1% over one month, after +0.7% in February. Year on year, it rose by 2.0% after +1.1% in February.

Year on year, energy prices rose sharply: +7.4% in March 2026 after ‑2.9% in February.

The high inflation of petroleum products (+18.1% after ‑2.2%) was mostly due to the one of diesel (+23.5% after ‑1.4%), petrol (+9.9% after ‑3.8%) and liquid fuel (+40.9% after ‑0.4%).

The prices of electricity fell at a lower rate over a year (‑3.1% after ‑3.6%) as did those of gas (‑2.2% after ‑3.3%).

Year on year, the prices of services accelerated slightly: +1.7% after +1.6% in February.

The prices of transport rebounded over one year (+2.4% after ‑0.4%), pushed by those of airfares (+2.1% after ‑6.5%) and those of transport by road (+0.2% after ‑0.1%). The prices of transport by train rose at a slower pace than in the previous month (+5.3% after +8.7%).

The prices of communication services also rebounded (+0.8% after ‑0.3%) pushed by the acceleration in mobile communication services (+3.6% after +0.7%).

The prices of health services rebounded slightly over one year (+0.1% after ‑0.1%).

Those of rents, water and household refuse collection increased at the same pace as in February (+1.7%).

The prices of “other services” rose at a slightly lower rate (+2.1% after +2.2%) reflecting those of accommodation services (+0.3% after +1.1%), cultural services (+3.3% after +4.5%), insurance services (+3.4% after +4.1%), other services related to personal transportation (+2.2% after +2.9%) and social protection (child care services, retirement homes for elderly persons and residences for disabled persons, services to maintain people in their private homes; +2.0% after +2.2%). The prices of catering rose at the same rate as in February (+2.6%).

Year on year, food prices decelerated: +1.8% after +2.0% in February.

The prices of food excluding fresh products slowed down (+1.8% after +2.0%), as did those of bread and cereals (+0.6% after +0.7%), those of sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery (+3.9% after +4.3%), those of non-alcoholic beverages (+7.8% after +9.0%) and those of milk, other dairy products and eggs (+1.1% after +1.3%). On the other hand, the prices of meat accelerated over one year (+3.6% after +3.4%) as did those of alcoholic beverages (+0.5% after +0.4%), and those of oils and fats fell at a lower rate than in February (‑1.4% after ‑1.6%).

The prices of fresh food also slowed down (+1.4% after +1.8%). The prices of fruits-bearing vegetables decelerated (+14.6% after +19.8%) as did those of dates, figs and tropical fruits (+1.2% after +2.1%) and those of fresh citrus fruit (+4.2% after +5.0%). On the other hand, the prices of fresh fish accelerated over one year (+6.8% after +4.8%).

Year on year, the prices of manufactured products fell at a faster pace in March: ‑0.5% after ‑0.2% in February.

The prices of clothing and footwear slowed down over one year (+0.3% after +1.5%), reflecting both those of clothing (stability after +1.0%) and those of footwear (+1.6% after +3.0%).

Year on year, the prices of health products fell more markedly than in February (‑2.7% after ‑1.9%), mirroring those of pharmaceutical products (‑3.9% after ‑2.8%).

The decrease in prices of “other manufactured products” over a year accelerated (‑0.2% after ‑0.1%) in particular those of major household appliance (‑3.1% after ‑1.8%), of recreational durables (‑1.1% after ‑0.6%), of glassware, tableware and household utensils (‑1.0% after ‑0.6%). The prices of furnitures and furnishings slowed down over one year (+0.3% after +1.0%). On the opposite, the prices of vehicles fell at a slightly lower pace than in February (‑0.2% after ‑0.3%) as did those of information and communication equipment (‑3.6% after ‑4.0%). The prices of articles and products for personal care bounced back (+0.6% after ‑0.8%) and those of newspaper, books and stationery accelerated (+2.3% after +2.0%).

Year on year, the prices of industrial food, cleaning and hygiene/beauty products sold in hyper and supermarkets rose by 1.2% in March after +1.1% in February. Those of industrial food sold in hyper and supermarkets decelerated slightly (+1.5% after +1.7%). On the opposite, the prices of cleaning and hygiene/beauty products sold in hyper and supermarkets fell at a lower rate than in the previous month (‑0.4% after ‑1.5%).

Compared to the provisional estimates published on 31 March 2026, CPI year-on-year change has been confirmed and the month-on-month change has been revised upwards by 0.1 percentage points. HICP month-on-month change has been confirmed and the year-on-year change has been revised upwards by 0.1 percentage points.