France’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.2% in March 2025 compared to the previous month, following a stable reading in February, according to final data released by INSEE. On an annual basis, the inflation rate remained unchanged at 0.8%. The monthly increase in prices was driven mainly by seasonal factors, notably higher prices for manufactured goods (+1.1%), especially clothing and footwear (+5.7%). Food prices also rose slightly (+0.3%) after a minor decline in February, while service prices remained stable. Energy prices, however, continued to fall, decreasing by 1.5% month-on-month, largely due to lower petroleum product costs. When adjusted for seasonal variations, consumer prices fell by 0.2% in March, following a 0.5% drop in February. Year-on-Year Trends On an annual basis, headline inflation was held at 0.8% for a second consecutive month. This figure reflects a mix of contrasting price movements across major categories: • Energy prices declined by 6.6% year-on-year, led by drops in diesel (–7.8%), petrol (–7.2%), and electricity (–12.8%). In contrast, gas prices increased sharply by 18.9%. • Manufactured product prices fell by 0.2%, with health products declining by 1.4%. Clothing and footwear saw a modest rise of 0.5%. • Service prices increased by 2.3%, largely driven by insurance costs, which rose 11.6%. Other service categories such as accommodation and cultural services recorded slower price growth. • Food prices saw a slight acceleration to +0.6% annually, supported by higher prices for fresh produce (+3.8%). Non-fresh food items saw smaller increases, while dairy products posted a continued but slowing decline (–0.8%). Core Inflation and HICP Core inflation, which excludes volatile items such as energy and fresh food, remained stable at 1.3% year-on-year. The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), used for EU comparisons, also increased by 0.2% month-on-month and remained at 0.9% annually. Revised Figures The final CPI and HICP figures for March confirmed the provisional estimates released at the end of March, with no revisions in either the monthly or annual inflation rates. Source: Insee