Inflation in the Netherlands fell slightly below 3 percent in April, but has been fluctuating around that level for a few months.
This is evident from figures published on Tuesday by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) in a quick estimate.
The average price increase of goods and services was 2.7 percent in April. This meant that inflation was lower than in March. Then daily life became 3.1 percent more expensive compared to a year earlier. In February inflation was still 2.8 percent.
The slightly lower inflation is mainly related to energy prices and motor fuel prices at the pump. In March, energy and motor fuels became 3.7 percent more expensive. In April there was a smaller increase of 3.3 percent.
In April, petrol prices in particular continued to rise, while diesel prices at the pump did not move much on balance.
Grocery prices continue to rise, consumers are looking for cheaper options
The price increase of food, drinks and tobacco was 3.2 percent higher in April than in the previous month.
When inflation rose to very high levels in 2022 and 2023, consumers in supermarkets increasingly looked for alternatives to the relatively expensive A-brands. Major groups behind products such as Gillette razor blades, Ariel detergent and Dove shower gel are now selling more, these companies announced in recent weeks. Yet they also continue to raise their prices.
In recent months, prices at the pump have also risen considerably, following the higher oil prices. This was partly due to tensions in the Middle East, which can hinder supplies from oil-rich countries.
Dutch inflation based on the European harmonized calculation method was 2.6 percent in April, compared to 3.1 percent in March. This calculation method is slightly different from that of Statistics Netherlands. The method agreed within the European Union to measure inflation does not take into account the costs of living in your own home.
The European statistical agency Eurostat will also present a preliminary estimate of inflation in the euro zone in April later in the morning. Inflation in the euro area was 2.4 percent in March, compared to 2.6 percent in February.
