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Good news for shoppers—most basic goods saw a price drop in February, according to the latest Consumer Price Observatory report from the Consumer Protection Service. However, if you're buying fresh vegetables and greens, you might have noticed your grocery bill going up.
Out of 45 product categories tracked, 32 recorded price decreases, while 13 saw increases. The majority of these price hikes were small—six categories rose by less than 1%. Still, fresh vegetables jumped by 14% compared to January, and a staggering 45.6% compared to February last year. Frozen burgers also saw a big increase, rising by 16.5% from the previous month.
These trends match the data released by Cyprus' Statistical Service, which reported a drop in the inflation rate to 1.9% in February, down from 2.5% in January. The decrease is largely due to lower prices in clothing and footwear (-5.1%), while categories like education (+3.7%) and restaurants and hotels (+3.5%) saw increases.
Agricultural products as a whole experienced the steepest rise, with prices climbing 6.9% compared to last year and 2.7% from January. Fresh fish and mollusks also became pricier, increasing by 8% in February and nearly 19% over the past year.
On the bright side, some items got significantly cheaper. Frozen shellfish saw the biggest drop at nearly 20%, while frozen fish fell by 7.4%.
While overall inflation is easing, it’s clear that fresh food prices remain unpredictable. For now, shoppers can enjoy some relief in most product categories, but those looking for fresh produce may need to dig a little deeper into their wallets.
