Informations Rapides · 12 June 2026 · n° 140

In May 2026, consumer prices rose by 2.4% year on year Consumer price index - final results - May 2026

In May 2026, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.1% over one month, after +1.0% in April. This slight increase in prices was due, on the one hand, to an increase in the prices of energy (+0.6% after +4.7%), driven by the surge in those of gas (+10.3% after +0.7%) and partly offset by a downturn in those of petroleum products (‑1.9% after +8.2%), and on the other hand, to a further increase in the prices of food (+0.3% after +0.2%), mainly in those of fresh products (+1.9% after +1.0%). The prices of manufactured products increased slightly month on month (+0.1% after stability), while those of services were stable (after +1.2% in April), as were those of tobacco (after stability).

Seasonally adjusted, consumer prices increased over a month by 0.3% in May 2026 after +0.7% in April.

Year on year, consumer prices rose by 2.4% in May 2026 after +2.2% in April. This rise in inflation was due, on the one hand, to the acceleration in prices of energy (+16.6% after +14.3%), driven this month by a sharp rebound in those of gas (+11.3% after ‑3.1%), and, on the other hand, to the acceleration in the prices of services (+2.1% after +1.8%). Conversely, the prices of food slowed down slightly (+1.1% after +1.2%). Those of manufactured products evolved at the same rate as in the previous month (‑0.6%), as did those of tobacco (+3.2%).

Year on year, core inflation (year-on-year change in the index) stood at +1.5% in May 2026, after +1.2% in April.

The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) increased by 0.1% over one month, after +1.2% in April. Year on year, it rose by 2.8% after +2.5% in April.

This month, the difference between the year-on-year changes in the HICP and the CPI was 0.38 points. 0.37 points of this gap were due to differences in the weightings of the two indices, and 0.01 points were due to differences in the trends between net and gross prices.

Year on year, energy prices accelerated: +16.6% in May 2026, after +14.3% in April.

The prices of gas rebounded sharply in May 2026 (+11.3% after ‑3.1%), in line with the trend of the reference price set by the French Energy Regulatory Commission (“CRE”) which passes on fluctuations in European prices with a time lag.

The prices of electricity fell at a slower pace over a year (‑0.8% after ‑1.0%).

Conversely, the prices of petroleum products slowed down slightly over one year while remaining sharply up (+31.1% after +31.4%), mirroring those of diesel (+38.0% after +42.1%) and liquid fuel (+57.4% after +58.9%), and despite a further acceleration in prices of petrol (+21.8% after +17.8%).

Year on year, the prices of services accelerated: +2.1% after +1.8% in April.

The prices of communication services accelerated clearly over a year (+9.5% after +3.8%), driven by those of mobile communication services (+25.8% after +10.2%).

The prices of transport also accelerated over one year (+3.8% after +1.4%), driven by those of airfares (+6.8% after +2.5%), and to a lesser extend by those of transport by train (+2.4% after +1.1%), and transport by road (+1.2% after stability).

The prices of health services rose slightly over one year (+0.2% after ‑0.3%).

Those of rents, water and household refuse collection accelerated slightly (+1.8% after +1.6%).

Conversely, the prices of “other services” slowed down over one year (+2.1% after +2.3%), reflecting those of catering (+1.9% after +2.7%), and social protection (child care services, retirement homes for elderly persons and residences for disabled persons, services to maintain people in their private homes; +1.3% after +1.4%). The prices of recreational services fell at a faster pace than in the previous month (‑0.5% after ‑0.1%). On the contrary, the prices of accommodation services accelerated in May (+6.1% after +5.6%). Those of insurance services rose at the same rate as in April (+4.8%).

Year on year, food prices decelerated a little for the fourth quarter in a row: +1.1% after +1.2% in April.

This deceleration was due to the slowdown in prices of food excluding fresh products (+0.8% after +1.2%), especially those of meat (+2.9% after +3.6%), non-alcoholic beverages (+2.1% after +3.3%), alcoholic beverages (+0.4% after +0.5%), bread and cereals (+0.2% after +0.4%), milk, other dairy products and eggs (+0.5% after +0.7%), and sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery (+0.9% after +1.6%). The prices of oils and fats decreased at the same rate as in the previous month (‑1.7%).

Conversely, the prices of fresh food accelerated again over one year (+3.4% after +1.9% and +1.4% in March), mostly driven by the rebound in those of fresh leafy or stem vegetables (+2.4% after ‑1.8%). On the contrary, the prices of fresh fruit-bearing vegetables slowed down over one year (+9.2% after +17.6%), as did those of fresh citrus fruit (+4.0% after +4.4%) and fresh fish (+7.4% after +10.8%), and the prices of fresh stone fruits and pome fruits fell at a faster (‑3.3% after ‑2.4%), as did those of dates, figs and tropical fruits (‑2.4% after ‑0.7%).

Year on year, the prices of manufactured products fell by 0.6% in May, as in April.

The prices of “other manufactured products” fell over a year by 0.1%, as in April. The decrease in prices of vehicles sharpened (‑0.4% after ‑0.2%), as did those of information and communication equipment (‑3.1% after ‑1.6%), and non-durable household goods (‑1.6% after ‑1.3%). Conversely, the prices of articles and products for personal care accelerated (+0.6% after +0.4%), as did those of furniture and furnishings (+1.0% after +0.2%), parts for personal transport (+0.8% after +0.5%), and jewellery and watches (+13.3% after +12.8%).

The prices of clothing and footwear were stable over one year (after ‑0,2%).

Year on year, the decline in health product prices intensified (‑3.4% after ‑3.2%).

In hyper and supermarkets the prices of industrial food, cleaning and hygiene/beauty products fell back by 0.1% in May, after +0.2% in April. Those of industrial food decelerated again (+0.1% after +0.5% and +1.5% in March). The prices of cleaning and hygiene/beauty products sold in hyper and supermarkets fell at a slightly slower pace than in the previous month (‑1.1% after ‑1.3%).

Compared to the provisional estimates published on 29 May 2026, CPI and HICP year-on-year and month-on-month changes have been confirmed.