Dutch inflation dropped slightly to 2.8% in December

Daily life in the Netherlands was 2.8 percent more expensive in December than in the same month a year earlier, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported in a first quick estimate on Wednesday. With that, inflation was slightly lower than the 2.9 percent in November.

With the December figure, CBS could also estimate inflation for the entire year 2025. Consumer goods and services were 3.3 percent more expensive last year than in 2024.

According to CBS, consumer prices in December were on average the same as in November. “A caveat when comparing two different months of the year is that the influence of the season must be taken into account,” CBS said. November prices are usually affected by Black Friday discounts. December also has many discount campaigns for Sinterklaas and Christmas. “Prices are temporarily lower, but this is not a permanent price drop.”

The slight fall in inflation in December was caused by a decrease in energy prices, which includes motor fuels. These prices decreased by 0.4 percent in December, while they still rose by 0.8 percent in November.

Food prices increased by 3.1 percent, the same as in November. Services cost 4.1 percent more, a slight decrease compared to November’s 4.3 percent increase.

Prices for industrial goods increased by 0.9 percent, more than November’s 0.5 percent.

CBS also calculated Dutch inflation based on the European harmonized method HICP, the method used by all EU countries to make comparing inflation easier. Based on this method, Dutch inflation was 2.5 percent in December, down from 2.6 percent in November. The main difference between CBS’s method and the HICP is that the European method does not consider the costs of living in an owner-occupied home. CBS calculates these costs based on rent trends.