May inflation in Georgia: clothing, housing, furnishing costs down, some food prices, transport prices up

Costs of clothing and footwear, furnishing, household equipment and maintenance across Georgia decreased while they rose for transport, food and non-alcoholic beverages in May, the latest inflation data published by the National Statistics Office on Monday shows.

Transport costs increased by 1.2 percent, contributing 0.15 percentage points to the overall monthly inflation rate, while those for operation of personal vehicles went up by 2 percent.

Prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages went up by 0.4 percent, contributing 0.12 percentage points, with numbers for the specific products as follows:

• Vegetables: 7.8 percent
• Fruit and grapes: 4.1 percent
• Sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery: 2.5 percent
• Fish: 0.6 percent
• Bread and cereals: 0.4 percent

At the same time, the prices decreased for the following subgroups:

• Oils and fats: -3.7 percent
• Milk, cheese and eggs: -2.8 percent
• Mineral waters, soft drinks, fruit and vegetable juices: -0.6 percent
• Meat: -0.6 percent
• Coffee, tea and cocoa: -0.4 percent

Alcoholic beverages and tobacco prices increased by 3.5 percent, with a
contribution of 0.24 percentage points to the overall annual inflation rate.

Restaurants and hotels saw a 1.5 percent increase in prices, with a 0.05 percentage point monthly inflation rate contribution. The prices for both accommodation services increased by 1.6 percent and for catering services by 1.4 percent.

The annual inflation rate was mainly influenced by price changes for transport groups.