Inflation measures the rise in the prices of goods and services over time in an economy.
How Is Inflation Measured In Ireland?
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) measures inflation using the Consumer Price Index (CPI). To do this, they track a ‘shopping basket’ of over 600 items that an average household spends money on. These items range from essentials like groceries and electricity to extras like clothing and streaming services. Every month, the CSO checks over 50,000 prices for these items all over Ireland.
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Why Is Measuring Inflation Useful?
By comparing these prices to the prices of the previous month, the CSO can calculate if the average cost-of-living is rising or falling.
What Is A Normal Level Of Inflation? The European Central Bank (ECB) aims to keep inflation in the euro area at 2%.
ґ High inflation (bad trend) means prices are rising rapidly, reducing purchasing power as goods and services are more expensive.
ґ Very low or negative inflation (bad trend) can signal economic weakness. ґ Low and stable inflation of 2% (good trend) supports steady economic growth.