Romania's annual inflation rate slowed slightly to 10.4% in June from 10.9% in May, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS) on Monday, July 13. Services recorded the steepest annual price increases, while consumer prices rose only marginally from the previous month.

INS said the consumer price index increased by 0.06% in June compared with May. Since the beginning of the year, inflation has reached 3.8%, while the average annual inflation rate over the past 12 months stood at 9.8%.

Compared with June 2025, service prices rose by 13.67%, non-food goods became 12.29% more expensive, and food prices increased by 5.75%.

Among food products, coffee recorded the largest annual price increase, rising by roughly 20%, followed by eggs (13.6%), beef (12%), cow's milk (12%), sugar and confectionery products (9.4%), bread (8%), fresh fish (7.7%), beer (8%), poultry (6.7%), wine (6.6%), oil (5.9%), and cottage cheese (5.8%), according to Ziarul Financiar.

Meanwhile, prices fell for potatoes (-14.5%), fresh fruit (-9.5%), cornmeal (-5.5%), flour (-4%), dried beans and other legumes (-2.8%), and butter (-0.16%).

Electricity remained the fastest-rising non-food item, with prices up nearly 60% year-on-year following the end of the government's electricity price cap scheme. Fuel prices also increased sharply, with diesel up 28% and gasoline up 22.7%. Heating energy became 10.7% more expensive, while natural gas prices rose 4.7%. 

Prices also increased for books, newspapers, and magazines (10.7%), detergents (9.4%), tobacco products (6.8%), hygiene and cosmetic products (7%), and medicines (4.3%).

Among services, rents posted the steepest annual increase, climbing 43%, followed by water supply, sewerage, and sanitation services (16%), car repairs (14.5%), clothing and footwear repair services (14.5%), hygiene and cosmetic services (14.2%), road transport (13%), medical services (12.7%), and urban public transport (9%). Airline tickets were the only service to record an annual decline, falling 7.3%, although they increased by 2.7% compared with May.

On a monthly basis, food prices declined slightly compared with May, while prices for non-food goods rose by 0.19% and services by 0.49%.

INS also reported that the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), used for comparisons across the European Union, showed an annual inflation rate of 9.2% in June, while the average HICP inflation over the previous 12 months was 8.6%.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

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