France Consumer Prices to Rise by 0.3% in January

After a steady rise of 0.8% in December 2025, France’s consumer prices moderated in January 2026, increasing by 0.3% year-on-year, according to provisional data from INSEE. The slowdown reflects falling prices in manufactured goods, especially clothing and footwear, aided by extended sales over 18 days versus 13 last year in January. Energy costs declined faster than in December, while health service fees rose more moderately. Tobacco price growth also slowed, though food prices edged higher. Month-on-month, consumer prices dropped 0.3% after +0.1% in December due to seasonal discounts in manufactured products, offset slightly by increases in food, energy, and tobacco. The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) rose 0.4% year-on-year but fell 0.4% over the month.