Informations Rapides · 13 May 2026 · n° 115

In April 2026, consumer prices rose by 2.2% year on year Consumer price index - final results - April 2026

In April 2026, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose again by 1.0% over one month, as in March and after +0.6% in February. This increase was due to the mostly seasonal one in services prices (+1.2% after +0.2%), notably those of transport (+9.1% after stability) and accommodation services (+4.9% after ‑0.8%), and to a further sharp rise in the prices of energy (+4.7% after +8.9%) driven by the prices of petroleum products (diesel, petrol and liquid fuel; +8.2% after +17.1%). The prices of food increased slightly (+0.2% after +0.1%). Prices of manufactured products were stable (after +0.7%) as were those of tobacco (after +0.3%).

Seasonally adjusted, consumer prices increased over a month by 0.7% in April 2026, after +0.8% in March.

Year on year, consumer prices rose by 2.2% in April 2026, after +1.7% in March. This rise in inflation was once again due to the sharp acceleration in prices of energy (+14.3% after +7.4%), particularly those of petroleum products (+31.4% after +18.1%). The prices of services accelerated slightly year on year (+1.8% after +1.7%). Conversely, the prices of food slowed down over one year (+1.2% after +1.8%) and those of manufactured products fell slightly more markedly than in March (‑0.6% after ‑0.5%). The prices of tobacco rose year on year at the same rate as in the previous month (+3.2%).

Year on year, core inflation stood at +1.2% in April 2026, after +1.1% in March.

The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) increased by 1.2% over one month, after +1.1% in March. Year on year, it rose by 2.5% after +2.0% in March.

The consumer price index (CPI) excluding tobacco for households in the first quintile of the living standards distribution increased by 2.5% compared to November 2025, which corresponds to the index of the last annual statutory minimum wage (SMIC) adjustment.

Year on year, energy prices accelerated markedly: +14.3% in April 2026, after +7.4% in March.

The further strong rise in prices of petroleum products (+31.4% after +18.1%) was due to that of diesel (+42.1% after +23.5%), petrol (+17.8% after +9.9%) and liquid fuel (+58.9% after +40.9%).

The prices of electricity fell at a lower rate over a year (‑1.0% after ‑3.1%).

Conversely, the prices of gas fell at a faster pace over a year (‑3.1% after ‑2.2%), as prices rose by 0.7% over a month while they had risen by 1.6% in April 2025.

Year on year, the prices of services accelerated slightly: +1.8% after +1.7% in March.

The prices of communication services accelerated over a year (+3.8% after +0.8%).

Those of “other services” accelerated slightly (+2.3% after +2.1%) driven by the rise in prices of accommodation services (+5.6% after +0.3%), insurance services (+4.8% after +3.4%) and catering (+2.7% after +2.6%). Conversely, prices of social protection slowed down (child care services, retirement homes for elderly persons and residences for disabled persons, services to maintain people in their private homes; +1.4% after +2.0%), as did those of maintenance, repair and security of the dwelling (+1.9% after +2.2%). The prices of recreational services fell back slightly (‑0.1% after +0.9%).

The prices of transport slowed down over one year (+1.4% after +2.4%), driven by the deceleration in prices of transport by train (+1.1% after +5.3%). Year on year, prices of transport by road were stable (after +0.2%). Conversely, those of airfares accelerated (+2.5% after +2.1%).

The prices of health services fell back over one year (‑0.3% after +0.1%).

Those of rents, water and household refuse collection slowed down slightly (+1.6% after +1.7%).

Year on year, food prices decelerated: +1.2% after +1.8% in March.

This deceleration was due to the slowdown in prices of food excluding fresh products (+1.2% after +1.8%). The prices of non-alcoholic beverages decelerated sharply (+3.3% after +7.8%): prices had risen by 4.3% over a month in April 2025 following the increase in tax on sugary and sweetened drinks. Prices of sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery also slowed down (+1.6% after +3.9%), as did those of bread and cereals (+0.4% after +0.6%), and those of milk, other dairy products and eggs (+0.7% after +1.1%). Prices of oils and fats fell at a higher rate than in March (‑1.7% after ‑1.4%). Those of meat rose year on year at the same rate as in the previous month (+3.6%), as did those of alcoholic beverages (+0.5%).

The prices of fresh food accelerated over one year (+1.9% after +1.4%) reflecting those of fresh fruit-bearing vegetables (+17.6% after +14.6%), fresh citrus fruits (+4.4% after +4.2%) and fresh fish (+10.8% after +6.8%). On the contrary, the prices of dates, figs and tropical fruits fell back over one year (‑0.7% after +1.2%) and those of fresh stone fruits and pome fruits decreased at the same rate as in March (-2.4%).

Year on year, the prices of manufactured products fell at a slightly faster pace in April: ‑0.6% after ‑0.5% in March.

The prices of clothing and footwear fell back over one year (‑0.2% after +0.3%).

Year on year, the prices of health products fell more markedly than in March (‑3.2% after ‑2.7%).

The prices of “other manufactured products” fell over a year at a slightly lower rate than in March (‑0.1% after ‑0.2%), in particular those of information and communication equipment (‑1.6% after ‑3.6%) and those of major household appliance (‑2.6% after ‑3.1%). Prices of jewellery and watches accelerated for the fifth consecutive month (+12.8% after +11.7%). Conversely, over one year, the prices of articles and products for personal care slowed down (+0.4% after +0.6%) as did those of parts for personal transport (+0.5% after +1.1%) and of furniture and furnishings (+0.2% after +0.3%). The prices of vehicles fell at the same rate as in March (‑0.2%).

In hyper and supermarkets the prices of industrial food, cleaning and hygiene/beauty products rose by 0.2% in April after +1.2% in March. Those of industrial food decelerated (+0.5% after +1.5%). The prices of cleaning and hygiene/beauty products fell at a faster pace than in the previous month (‑1.3% after ‑0.4%).

Compared to the provisional estimates published on 30 April 2026, CPI and HICP year-on-year and month-on-month changes have been confirmed.