Year-on-year, price increases were reported for furnishings, household equipment & routine maintenance (+0.2 percent in March from +0.1 percent in February) and health (+3.6 percent from +3.4 percent). In contrast, prices declined for transport (-4.9 percent from -11.8 percent) and clothing and footwear (-0.2 percent from -0.6 percent).
Price moderated for food & non-alcoholic beverages (+2.3 percent from +2.7 percent), housing, water, electricity, gas & other fuels (+1.9 percent from +2.4 percent), recreation services & culture (+0.6 percent from +0.8 percent), restaurants & hotels (+2.8 percent from +2.9 percent) and miscellaneous goods & services (+1.5 percent from +1.6 percent). Cost remained unchanged for alcoholic beverages & tobacco (+10.6 percent), communication (-0.9 percent) and education (+2.2 percent).
Among food & non-alcoholic beverages, customers had to pay more for: meats (+1.0 percent from -0.8 percent), food products (+2.6 percent from+2.4 percent) and coffee, tea & non-alcoholic beverages (+0.6 percent from +0.4 percent). Prices slowed for food at home (+2.0 percent from +2.4 percent), fish & seafood (+2.4 percent from +3.8 percent); milk &eggs (+5.8 percent from +6.6 percent), oils & fats (+0.1 percent from +0.2 percent), fruits (+1.8 percent from +3.1 percent), vegetables (+1.2 percent from +3.4 percent) and food away from home (+3.2 percent from +3.5 percent). Prices of rice, bread & other cereals remained steady at 1.0 percent.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices increased by 0.9 percent, following a 0.6 percent rise in February. Price increases were reported for: transport (+8.0 percent); clothing & footwear (+0.4 percent); health (+0.4 percent); reataurants & hotels (+0.3 percent); miscellaneous goods & services (+0.3 percent), furnishings, household equipment & routine maintenance (+0.1 percent) and education (+0.1 percent). In contrast, prices declined for housing, water, electricity, gas & other fuels (-0.3 percent); food & non-alcoholic beverages (-0.3 percent) and recreation services & culture (-0.2 percent). Prices remained unchanged for alcoholic beverages & tobacco and communication.
During January to March 2015, consumer prices recorded at 0.7 percent.