Fiji’s month-on-month inflation rate compared with the same period last year jumped to 7.6 per cent in August, with consumers facing higher prices for a range of food and non-alcoholic beverages.
The Fiji Bureau of Statistics said the 7.6 per cent rate was recorded when the Consumer Price Index for August 2026 was compared with August 2025.
However, the average annual inflation rate for the 12 months to August stood at a much lower 1 per cent.
FBoS said Fiji uses two measures of inflation — one comparing the average CPI over the latest 12 months with the preceding 12-month period, and another comparing prices in the current month with the corresponding month a year earlier.
Despite the sharp annual comparison, the All Items CPI actually fell marginally between July and August.
The index declined by 0.1 per cent from 118.2 in July to 118.1 in August.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages recorded one of the largest monthly increases, rising 2.2 per cent.
FBoS attributed this to higher prices for bread and cereals, milk, cheese and eggs, oils and fats, vegetables and confectionery products.
Consumers also paid more for non-alcoholic beverages, including mineral water, soft drinks and fruit and vegetable juices.
Miscellaneous goods and services increased by 0.9 per cent, while health costs rose 0.3 per cent because of higher pharmaceutical product prices.
Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance also increased by 0.3 per cent, while restaurant and hotel prices edged up 0.1 per cent.
These increases were offset by falling prices in several categories.
Transport recorded the biggest monthly decline at 4 per cent.
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels fell by 0.7 per cent, driven by lower liquid fuel prices.
Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics declined 0.9 per cent, with lower prices recorded for spirits, beer and yaqona.
Clothing and footwear and recreation and culture both declined by 0.1 per cent, while education prices remained unchanged.
The CPI measures average changes in prices paid by households, with monthly price collections undertaken in Suva, Lami, Nasinu, Nausori, Lautoka, Nadi, Ba and Labasa.
