Higher food prices pushed Dutch inflation to 3.2% in June

Daily life in the Netherlands was 3.2 percent more expensive in June than in the same month last year, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported on Tuesday in its quick inflation estimate. In February, inflation was 2.7 percent. Higher food prices were the driving force behind June’s increase.

The prices for food, drinks, and tobacco increased by 4.4 percent in June compared to a year earlier. In May, this price increase was 3.1 percent. Services also had a slight upward effect on inflation, with the prices for services increasing slightly more in June (+4.6 percent) than in May (+4.5 percent).

Energy and motor fuels had a dampening effect on inflation last month. These prices still increased in June (+3.4 percent) but by less than in May (+4.0 percent).

CBS also announced the Dutch inflation for June based on the European harmonized method (HICP)—the method agreed upon in the European Union to make it easier to compare the inflation of Member States. This method does not take into account the costs of living in one’s home like the CBS method does. Dutch inflation based on the HICP amounted to 3.4 percent in June and 2.7 percent in May.

Eurostat, the European statistics agency, will announce inflation for the eurozone later on Tuesday.