Key facts

Quarterly change

In the December 2021 quarter compared with March 2022 quarter, the consumer price index (CPI) increased by 3.2 percent and the Underlying CPI by 3.5 percent.

The Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels Division had a 6.5 per cent increase in its index for March Quarter 2022. This was mainly attributable to an 11.9 per cent rise in the index for Electricity Gas and Other Fuels Group due to higher cost of cooking gas.

The Clothing and Footwear Group division increased by 5.4 per cent. The main contributor to this movement was an increase of 7.1 per cent in the index in the Clothing Group

The index for the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages Division increased by 4.7 per cent. Though most classes within the ‘Food’ groups had increases in their index; ‘Sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery index escalated to 10.9 per cent, Fruits moved up by 8.1 per cent, Meat class went up by 8.0 per cent, Food products increased by 6.9 per cent, Oils & Fat up by 5.5 per cent, Milk, cheese and eggs index rose by 5.0 per cent followed by negligible increases of 2.4 per cent, 1.5 per cent and 1.2 per cent in the Bread & cereals, Water, Drinks & Juices, Fish & Sea food, and Vegetables Classes.

The index for the Miscellaneous Goods & Services Division increased by 3.4 per cent. The main factors which contributed to the upward movement in the index for this division were higher prices for some items within the Other Services Group of 16.3 per cent, Personal effects Group of 14.5 per cent and Personal Care Group of 2.2 per cent.

Restaurants and Hotel Services Division rose by 2.9 per cent. A 3.1 per cent increase in the index for the Catering Services Group influenced the rise, due largely to higher cost of meals consumed at Restaurants and Cafes.

A 2.1 per cent increase was recorded in the index for Transport Division. This upward movement was mainly attributable to higher costs for Purchase of vehicles and Transport services Group.

Recreation and Culture Division increased by 1.8 per cent. The marginal uptick was due to mainly to price increase in the Newspaper, books and stationery subgroup by 9.5 per cent and a 1.0 per cent increase from the other recreational items.

Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Division had a negligible increase of 0.4 per cent. The main contribution to this movement was a 9.4 percent increase in the index subgroup division ‘wine’.

All these increases were tapered by decreases in the Household Contents & Maintenance Division and the Communications Divisions had a 0.4 per cent and 0.2 per cents fall subjective by lower prices of furniture’s and telephone equipment’s.

Annual Change

From the March 2021 quarter to the March 2022 quarter, the CPI inflation rate was 5.7 percent with the Underlying 4.3 percent

• A 13.4 per cent increase was recorded in the annual index for the Transport Division impacted mostly by price increases of fuel
• Food Division rose by 8.2 per cent, influenced by price increases in nearly everything in the Food sub-group

Meat up by 15%, Sugar, jam, honey, chocolate, & confectionery by 10%, Fruits subgroup, Oils & fats subgroup and Food products subgroup rose by 8%, milk, cheese & eggs subgroup and Mineral, soft drinks and vegetable juices slightly increased by 7%, Bread & cereals subgroup, Fish & Sea food subgroup and the Vegetable subgroups went up by 5% followed by small increase in the coffee, tea and cocoa of 1%.

• Alcohol & Tobacco Division made minimal increase of 0.3 per cent.