Stats: Y-o-Y Inflation at 3.8 percent in February

Bratislava, March 14 (TASR) - Consumer prices of goods and services increased by 0.4 percent month-on-month (m-o-m) in February 2025, the Statistics Office reported on Friday. The year-on-year (y-o-y) inflation slowed down from 3.9 percent in January to 3.8 percent in February. Prices posted monthly growth in 10 out of the 12 main categories of the consumer basket in February, ranging from 0.2 percent in education to 1 percent in miscellaneous goods and services. Prices in two segments, clothing and footwear, as well as telecommunication services, were lower than in January. The second most significant impact on monthly price growth was made by food, which went up by 0.2 percent. Price growth took place in five of the nine monitored food categories, most notably in bread and cereals (1 percent), followed by fruit (1.9 percent), and vegetables and oils (both 1.7 percent). Growth in soft beverage prices was slighter than in the previous month, reaching 2.5 percent. Prices of coffee, tee and cocoa went up by 1.9 percent. Conversely, meat was 1.2 percent and sugar and confectionery 0.6 percent cheaper than in January. In the y-o-y comparison, prices went up in all the 12 main categories of the consumer basket in February, with the growth ranging from 2.6 percent in transport to 9.7 percent in education. The y-o-y inflation continued to be significantly influenced by the prices of alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages. Prices of alcohol and tobacco rose by 4.6 percent. Introduction of excise tax on sugar continued to push prices of soft drinks up by 14.5 percent. Prices of mineral waters and juices increased by 18.2 percent and those of coffee, tea and cocoa by 9.2 percent. The overall result was also dragged by food prices growth, going up by 1.8 percent y-o-y. Prices grew in six of the nine monitored food categories, with the highest growth being posted for oil and fats (19.8 percent), milk, chees and eggs (5.2 percent), sugar and confectionery (5.1 percent) and fruits (2.9 percent). Meanwhile, prices of meat went down by 2.3 percent and those of vegetables by 2.4 percent. ko