The Central Statistical Office issued a statement on the level of price increases for February and published information on changes in the methodology for calculating inflation.
Prices of goods and services rose 2.8 percent in February compared to the same month a year ago. Prices have increased by 0.3 percent since January.
This means that the inflation level is the lowest since March 2021 and is within the fluctuation range of +/- 1% allowed by the National Bank of Poland compared to the inflation target of 2.5%.
The prices of alcohol and meals in restaurants are rising
Prices rose the most since last year in restaurants and hotels, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, food, and housing. Transport costs fell.
In March, the annual update of the weighting system for individual elements included in the inflation basket was also carried out. The changes were based on the latest data on the structure of household expenditure. And on this basis, the prices of food and beverages, housing and energy carriers, and the use of restaurants and hotels gained importance in the inflation calculation methodology. On the other hand, the weight of alcohol and tobacco, clothing and footwear prices decreased.
In addition to the weights, the list of goods and services that are taken into account when calculating inflation has also been modified. Among others, vegan products and products intended for pets have been added to them. Interestingly, the Central Statistical Office does not publish the specific names of the goods taken into account, so as not to manipulate prices on them.
stat.gov.pl