Dublin: Consumer prices in Ireland rose by 3.2% over the past year, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The increase, measured using the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), marks an uptick from the 2.8% annual inflation rate recorded in November last year. The HICP is the standard index used to compare inflation across eurozone countries.
Over the last twelve months, food prices increased by 4.2%, while energy costs rose by 3.3%. However, overall prices fell by 0.2% between October and November this year. During the same period, energy prices increased by 0.7%, while food prices remained unchanged.
The latest inflation figures come amid a series of electricity price hikes. Bord Gáis Energy, Pinergy, Energia, and SSE Airtricity all raised their electricity tariffs last month, following similar increases by Flogas in August.
Excluding energy and unprocessed food, the HICP shows a 3% price rise since November 2024. These Irish HICP figures were incorporated into the eurozone inflation data published on December 2.
Shift Toward Contactless Payments Continues
Separately, consumer payment trends show a continued move away from cash withdrawals. Contactless transactions—including digital wallet payments through Apple Pay and Google Pay—rose by 6% in the third quarter of 2025, according to a Bank of Ireland analysis.
Overall “tap and go” usage increased by 4% compared with the same quarter in 2024. In contrast, ATM withdrawals fell sharply, declining by 9% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2025.
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