The drop in electricity prices was a decisive factor in maintaining negative inflation in September 2025, according to the latest data from the Statistical Service and the Consumer Products Price Observatory of the Consumer Protection Service. Despite increases in certain food categories, the consumer price index remained negative for the fourth consecutive month.
The annual inflation rate was -0.7% in September, the same level as August, following -0.9% in July and -0.4% in June. The decline in the cost of electricity by 11% year-on-year is the most significant factor restraining overall prices, while petroleum products also recorded a decrease of 2.7%.
At the level of economic categories, compared to September 2024, services increased by 3%, food and non-alcoholic beverages decreased by 3%, while agricultural products fell by 5%, although they showed a rise of 3.5% compared to August 2025.
Despite the general picture of stability, the Price Observatory recorded increases in essential foodstuffs in September compared to the previous month. The most significant price hikes were in frozen molluscs and crustaceans (+13.8%), fresh fish and molluscs (+12.7%), and fresh vegetables and greens (+9.5%). Conversely, prices for fresh meat fell by 4%, while there was also a drop in baby nappies (-2.4%), eggs (-1.8%), and breakfast cereals (-1.5%).
The Consumer Protection Service underlines that the reductions in energy, and particularly electricity, have boosted the purchasing power of households, limiting the impact of isolated food increases.
Smaller Price Differences in Supermarkets
The Service compared the prices of 228 common products across seven supermarkets via the e-kalathi platform, finding a significant reduction in the differences between the most expensive and the cheapest chain.
In June 2025, the difference amounted to €230 (€990 versus €760), while by October, it had narrowed to €147 (€961 versus €814). For 40 common products, the price difference between supermarkets decreased from €43 on 15 June to €23 on 15 October.
The Service encourages consumers to use e-kalathi for price comparisons, noting that the Price Observatories function as an informational tool and not a substitute for personal market research.
