Caitríona Redmond: Food prices are at a tipping point — brace for a hard winter

An additional €5 per week for a grocery shop may be the difference between managing and struggling, depending on your budget — €5 per week extra is €260 per year; nearly as much as a month’s child benefit for two children.

Overall, according to the HICP, prices in Ireland were about 1.8% higher in August 2025 than a year earlier. This means that purchases that cost €100 last August would cost about €101.80 now.

There are two ways in which the rate of inflation in Ireland can be measured and both of which are reported upon by the CSO.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is published roughly at the beginning of the second week of the month, 12 months of the year. The index is calculated based on sample purchases of a range of goods and services, and yes, this includes food.