On average in 2020, consumer prices recorded a decrease of 0.2% (from + 0.6% in 2019).
Istat notes this on the basis of preliminary estimates, underlining that net of energy and fresh food (the "core inflation"), consumer prices grow by 0.5% (as in the previous year) and net of energy alone by 0.7% (from + 0.6% in 2019).
The prices of energy goods decreased in 2020 over 2019 by 8.4%.
In 2020, the reduction in consumer prices on average for the year is the third recorded since 1954, since the time series was available (-0.4% in 1959, -0.1% in 2016).
In December 2020 the national consumer price index for the whole community (NIC), gross of tobacco, recorded an increase of 0.3% on a monthly basis and a decrease of 0.1% on an annual basis (from - 0.2% of the previous month).
Trend "core inflation", net of energy and fresh food, and that net of energy goods alone, both accelerate to + 0.7% (respectively from + 0.4% and + 0.6%) .
The prices of food, home and personal care goods in December increased by 0.9% on an annual basis (slowing down from + 1.2% in November), while those of products with a high frequency of purchase mitigate the downturn to -0.1% (from -0.3% the previous month).
According to preliminary estimates, the harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP) increases by 0.2% on a monthly basis and decreases by 0.3% on an annual basis (as in November).
The average annual change in 2020 was -0.1% (it was + 0.6% in 2019).