Informations Rapides · 13 January 2023 · n° 9

On average in 2022, sharp acceleration in consumer prices Price Index – Annual average rates of change - year 2022

On average over the year, consumer prices accelerated sharply in 2022. Annual inflation was thus +5.2%, after +1.6% in 2021 and +0.5% in 2020. Excluded tobacco, consumer prices were also more dynamic than in 2021: +5.3% in 2022, after +1.6% in 2021. The increase in inflation resulted from an acceleration in energy prices (+23.1% after +10.5%), food prices (+6.8% after +0.6%) and, to a lesser extent, in manufactured product prices (+3.0% after +0.3%) and in service prices (+3.0% after +1.2%). Core inflation was also higher in 2022: +3.9%, after +1.1% in 2021.

In 2022, the prices of energy accelerated sharply (+23.1% on average, after +10.5% in 2021), despite fuel discounts and tariff shield measures. The increase in petroleum product prices is marked (+29.0% after +13.5%) and in particular, that of diesel (+29.0% after +12.7%), petrol (+15.8% after +13.7%) and liquid fuels (+66.0% after +17.8%). The prices of gas (+40.9% after +24.1%) and electricity (+7.4% after +3.0%) also accelerated due to the influence of market prices.

The prices of passenger transport services also grew (+10.4% after +3.8%) notably airfares (+22.9% after +3.8%) and those of transport by rail (+9.3% after +1.9%). The prices of transport by road also rose (+8.4% after +3.4%) notably those of passenger transport by bus and coach (+10.9% after +2.9%). In contrast, the prices of combined passenger transport fell back (‑1.7% after +0.8%), as did those of transport by sea and inland waterway (‑0.9% after +7.0%).

In 2022, food prices accelerated sharply compared to 2021: +6.8% on average after +0.6%. The increase in fresh product prices accentuated sharply (+7.7% after +1.9%): the prices of fresh vegetables (+9.8% after +0.4%), fresh fruits (+4.6% after +4.0%) and fresh fish (+14.0% after ‑0.2%) accelerated.

Excluding fresh produces, food prices also accelerated (+6.6% after +0.4%) in particular those of meat (+7.9% after +0.9%), bread and cereals (+7.2% after +0.5%), milk, cheese and eggs (+8.0% after +0.2%), oils and fats (+17.0% after +0.1%), non-alcoholic beverages (+5.4% after +0.0%) and alcoholic beverages (+2.8% after +0.8%).

In contrast, tobacco prices were virtually stable (+0.1% in 2022 after +5.5% in 2021), in absence of tax increase.

In 2022, the prices of services for dwellings (actual rentals, supply of water and refuse collection fees, sewage collection and heat energy) accentuated: +2.0% on average, after +1.1% in 2021. The prices of thermic energy accelerated sharply (+50.1% after +13.2%) and those of water supply (+1.5% after +1.4%), refuse collection (+1.4% after +0.6%) and sewage collection (+1.6% after +0.7%) increased. In contrast, the prices of actual rentals slowed down slightly (+0.7% after +0.9%).

The prices of « other services » increased more strongly in 2022: +3.7% on average, after +1.2% in 2021. The prices of catering services accelerated (+3.9% after +0.6%), as did those of accommodation services (+7.0% after +2.7%), maintenance and repair of personal transport equipment (+5.9% after +2.8%), maintenance and repair of dwelling (+4.7% after +2.3%) and social protection services (+5.7% after +1.3%) and insurance services (+1.6% after +1.0%). In contrast, the prices of recreational and cultural services fell back (‑1.4% after +0.7%) due to the abolition of the public services broadcasting contribution.

In 2022, the prices of manufactured products rose by 3.0% after +0.3% in 2021. The prices of clothing and footwear increased by 2.7% after +0.1%: those of clothing rebounded (+2.2% after ‑0.3%) and those of footwear accelerated (+3.5% after +1.1%). The prices of « other manufactured products » also accelerated for the third consecutive year (+4.1% after +0.7%) notably those of furniture and furnishings (+7.2% after +3.2%), other appliances, articles and products for personal care (+3.7% after +0.1%), non-durable household goods (+6.7% after ‑0.1%), glassware, tableware and household utensils (+4.6% after +1.7%) and stationery and drawing materials (+5.6% after +0.3%). The prices of major household appliances (+4.0% after +0.0%) and major durable for outdoor recreation (+4.1% after +1.1%) also rose. The prices of vehicles accelerated (+5.0% after +0.7%) in particular those of new motor cars (+7.5% after +1.3%).

Health service prices were virtually stable in 2022 (‑0.1% after ‑0.5%): medical service prices accelerated (+1.3% after +0.5%) while dental service prices decreased at a more moderate pace (‑0.2% after ‑0.8%), as did paramedical service prices (‑1.2% after ‑1.3%). Furthermore, the prices of health products decreased at the same rate than in the previous year (‑1.2%): pharmaceutical product prices were down by 1.7% (after ‑1.5%) while therapeutic appliance and equipment prices recovered (+0.5% after ‑0.2%).

The prices of communication services slowed down (+0.6% after +2.9%) notably due to the accentuated decrease in wireless telephone service prices (‑2.5% after ‑0.4%) and the less increase in bundled telecommunication service prices (+3.8% after +6.9%) and in internet access provision service prices (+1.8% after +5.5%). The prices of postal services also slowed down (+6.1% after +7.1%).

According to their consumption structure, households were subject to a global inflation more or less pronounced but higher than in 2021.

Thus, in 2022, households with a reference person over 60 years of age experienced the highest price increase (+5.8%). Those with a reference person under 30 years of age experienced the smallest increase (+4.2%).

Furthermore, inflation was 0.8 point above average for owners and 0.8 below average for rented households.

Finally, households in the first decile of standard of living experienced inflation 0.3 point above average.