April 2025 marks a new, albeit moderate, increase ofInflation in Italy. According to the preliminary estimates of Istat, the national consumer price index for the entire community (NIC), gross of tobacco, grows by 0.2% on a monthly basis and of the 2% Compared to April 2024, slightly accelerating compared to the 1.9% recorded in the previous month.
These are contained variations which, however, are significantly reflected on the key sectors of the daily consumption of citizens, contributing to a concrete increase in the cost of living.
They cost more food and transport
To push the index upwards were above all the increases in the food goods and in the transport services related. The prices of unrelaited food (fruit, vegetables, meat, etc.) grow by 4.2% on an annual basis, while those of the products worked (such as bread, pasta and packaged foods) increase by 2.3%. Overall, the food sector marks a 3.0% increase compared to the previous year.
At the same time, there is a significant acceleration in the services relating to transportwhose prices jump from 1.6% of March to 4.4% in April. An increase also linked to seasonal factors, but which affects in a concrete way on the expenses of citizens, especially in view of spring and summer bridges.
Energy
Another key element concerns theenergy. While on monthly base A decline is observed (-6.0% for regulated energy and -5.3% for unregulated ones) on annual base Music changes: regulated energy (those whose prices are set or controlled, such as electricity for some users of users) mark an impressive 32.9% compared to April 2024, in marked increase compared to the already high 27.2% of the previous month. On the contrary, unregulated energy (such as petrol or gas on the free market) record an annual drop of 2.9%.
Shopping cart increasingly expensive
Another significant indicator is the price trend of the so -called “shopping cart“, Which includes food, products for personal hygiene and for the home. In this case too, there is an acceleration of prices, which went from 2.1% to 2.6% annual.
Inflation in line with the objectives
THE’background inflationwhich excludes the most volatile goods such as energy and fresh food, it rises from 1.7% to 2.1%, while the one net of alone energy goods reaches 2.2%. This indicates a structural pressure on the prices that goes beyond seasonal or temporary increases.
Also theHarmonized consumer prices index (IPCA), used for the comparisons at European level, confirms an annual inflation stable at 2.1%, with a monthly variation of 0.5%, mainly due at the end of the seasonal sales.
In general, the inflation rate remains in line with the objective of the ECB, or around 2%. A higher inflation would force the ECB to raise the rates (with repercussions on mortgages and loans), while a lower inflation would push the EU towards deflation.
What really weighs on consumers pockets
In summary, to weigh more on the portfolio of the Italians at this stage are:
- the increases in food, essential and daily goods, which touch 3%;
- the services related to transport, rapidly grown in one month;
- the “shopping cart”, which contains consumer goods, now more expensive than 2.6%;
- The strong increases in regulated energy, which indirectly affect many other expenditure items.
