Consumer price figures ‘mask’ real increases

A raft of everyday household expenses, including private landlord rents, public transport, and college registration fees, are soaring above the price levels reached during the boom years, official figures show.

Analysts say that a detailed breakdown of consumer price figures show that the trend in the past year of price decreases for some goods is masking huge price rises of everyday items across the economy. As a result, many prices are now well above levels recorded in 2006.

Headline CSO figures on consumer prices were published yesterday and showed the annual price index tumbled by 0.7% in April, as the costs of buying airline tickets, cars, meat and vegetables, clothing, and furniture all fell.