It sped up significantly the rise of inflation last December, as it rose 3.5% from 3% in November and against a 7.2% increase in December 2022 to 2021.

As the large price reduction in natural gas (52.9%) was more than offset by price increases in the vast majority of products and services, with the most typical increase of 58.5% in the price of olive oil, while food items recorded new price increases of 8 .9%.

It is noted that it was at medium levels last year rise in inflation by 3.5%.

In particular, in one year revaluations were recorded in:

  • Bread and cereals (2.6%),
  • Meats – general (6.5%),
  • Fish – in general (8.4%),
  • Dairy and eggs (3.8%),
  • Olive oil (58.5%),
  • Fruits – generally (15%),
  • Vegetables – general (14%),
  • Sugar – chocolates – sweets – ice creams (7.7%),
  • Other food (7%),
  • Coffee-cocoa-tea (3.7%),
  • Mineral water – soft drinks – fruit juices (12.6%)
  • and Alcoholic beverages – not served (5.2%).

Also in:

  • Clothing and footwear (2.8%),
  • Residential rents (4%),
  • Home repair and maintenance (2.3%),
  • Heating oil (13.7%),
  • Solid fuels (9.2%),
  • Furniture, decorative items and other floor coverings (2.4%),
  • Items of immediate household consumption (2.7%),
  • Household services (1.9%),
  • Pharmaceutical products (11.8%),
  • Medical-dental and paramedical services (5.4%),
  • Hospital care (0.9%),
  • New cars (0.5%),
  • Used cars (4.5%),
  • Car parts and accessories (5.6%),
  • Maintenance and repair of personal transport equipment (4.2%),
  • Air passenger transport (10.2%),
  • Leisure durables (3.1%),
  • Small leisure items – flowers – pets (4.4%),
  • Cinemas-theatres (10%),
  • Holiday package (9.3%),
  • Preschool and primary education (4%),
  • Secondary education (3.6%),
  • Higher education (2.8%),
  • Restaurants- patisserie- cafes- canteens (5.9%),
  • Hotels- motels- inns (5.7%),
  • Hairdressers and personal care stores (3.1%),
  • Other types of personal care (0.5%),
  • Health insurance premiums (5.7%)
  • and Vehicle insurance premiums (2.1%).

Instead, prices fell to:

  • Natural gas (52.9%),
  • Fuels and lubricants (3.3%),
  • Telephone services (3.5%) and
  • Audio and video processing equipment (5.1%).

Whereas, between December and November last year there were new price increases in:

  • Poultry (1.2%),
  • Fresh fish (2.2%),
  • Olive oil (4.7%),
  • Fresh vegetables (5.7%),
  • Preserved or processed vegetables (1.5%),
  • Clothing and footwear (1.3%),
  • Electricity (0.5%),
  • Household appliances and repairs (2.7%),
  • Items of immediate household consumption (0.9%),
  • Audio-visual equipment – computers – repairs (1.7%),
  • Restaurants- patisserie- cafes- canteens (0.6%)
  • and Hotels-motels-inns (2.9%).

On the other hand, prices fell to:

  • Pork (1.2%),
  • Cold cuts (3.3%),
  • Fresh fruit (3.1%),
  • Frozen vegetables (3.1%),
  • Coffee (2.5%),
  • Alcoholic beverages – not served (2.9%),
  • Heating oil (5.5%),
  • Fuels and lubricants (2.9%),
  • Air passenger transport (6.9%)
  • and ‘Other types of personal care (0.7%).

According to ELSTAT, the increase in the general consumer price index in December came mainly from the changes in the following groups of goods and services:

1. From the increases of the indicators by:

  • *8.9% in the “Food and non-alcoholic beverages” group, due to price increases mainly in: bread and cereals, meat (general), fish (general), dairy and eggs, olive oil, fruit (general), vegetables (general ), sugar – chocolates – sweets – ice creams, other food, coffee – cocoa – tea, mineral water – soft drinks – fruit juices.
  • *2.2% in the “Alcoholic beverages and tobacco” group, due mainly to an increase in prices of alcoholic beverages (not served).
  • *2.8% in the “Clothing and footwear” group, due to price increases in clothing and footwear.
  • *1.9% in the group “Durable goods – Household goods and services”, due to price increases mainly in: furniture, decorative items and other floor coverings, household goods, household services.
  • *5.5% in the “Health” group, due to price increases mainly in: pharmaceutical products, medical-dental and paramedical services, hospital care.
  • *0.3% in the “Transport” group, due to price increases mainly in: new cars, used cars, car parts and accessories, maintenance and repair of personal transport equipment, air passenger tickets. Part of this increase was compensated by the decrease mainly in fuel and lubricant prices.
  • *2.6% in the “Leisure-Cultural activities” group, due to price increases mainly in: durable leisure goods, small leisure items – flowers – pets, cinemas – theaters, package holidays. Part of this increase was offset by a decrease in prices mainly in audio and video processing equipment.
  • *3.5% in the “Education” group, mainly due to price increases in: pre-school and primary education fees, secondary education fees, tertiary education fees.
  • *5.9% in the “Hotels-Cafes-Restaurants” group, mainly due to an increase in prices in: restaurants-patisseries-cafes-canteens, hotels-motels-inns.
  • *1.7% in the “Other goods and services” group, mainly due to price increases in: hair salons and personal care stores, other personal care items, health insurance premiums, vehicle insurance premiums.

2. From the reduction of the index by:

  • *0.5% in the “Housing” group, mainly due to a decrease in natural gas prices. Part of this decrease was compensated by the increase in prices mainly in: house rents, house repair and maintenance, heating oil, solid fuels.
  • *3.2% in the “Communications” group, mainly due to a decrease in prices for telephone services.

At the same time, the general index showed a decrease of 0.1% in December 2023 compared to November 2023, against a decrease of 0.5% recorded during the corresponding comparison of the previous year.

While at average levels last year, the general index showed an increase of 3.5%, compared to an increase of 9.6% recorded during the corresponding comparison of the twelve months January 2022-December 2022 with the twelve months January 2021-December 2021.

In terms of harmonized inflation, it increased by 3.7% in December last year compared to the corresponding index in December 2022, compared to an increase of 7.6% recorded in the corresponding comparison in 2022 to 2021.

In a monthly comparison, the harmonized index showed an increase of 0.1%, against a decrease of 0.7% recorded during the corresponding comparison of the previous year. While, at average levels in 2023, it showed an increase of 4.2%, against a 9.3% increase that occurred during the corresponding comparison of the twelve months January 2022-December 2022 with the twelve months January 2021-December 2021.