The Fiji Bureau of Statistics (FBoS) has reported that the average annual inflation rate for the year ending December 2025 is at -1.4 percent, signaling a significant reduction in price pressures compared to the previous year. This data is derived from a thorough analysis of the average Consumer Price Index (CPI), comparing figures from January to December 2025 against those from January to December 2024.
The CPI serves as a critical tool for tracking changes in the prices of goods and services that households purchase across Fiji. Monthly price assessments are conducted in major urban centers including Suva, Lami, Nasinu, Nausori, Lautoka, Nadi, Ba, and Labasa. The index is designed to reflect price fluctuations not only in urban areas but also in rural regions, with CPI weights based on data from the 2019/2020 Household Income and Expenditure Survey.
In December 2025, the overall CPI experienced a rise of 1.2 percent from the previous month, moving from 110.5 to 111.8. Notable price increases were observed across various categories. Alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and narcotics witnessed a significant surge of 3.1 percent, driven primarily by escalating yaqona prices. Similarly, food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by 2.4 percent, attributed to higher costs for meat, oils, fats, fruits, vegetables, and non-alcoholic drinks.
Other categories also experienced price increases, with restaurants and hotels rising by 1.0 percent, and clothing and footwear seeing a modest increase of 0.6 percent. Communication prices climbed by 0.5 percent, while sectors such as education, housing, utilities, and recreation reported no significant changes.
Conversely, price reductions were noted in transportation (-0.3 percent), furnishings and household equipment (-0.3 percent), miscellaneous goods and services (-0.5 percent), and health (-0.7 percent), mainly due to lower fuel and pharmaceutical prices.
This overall scenario of easing inflation indicates a stabilizing economic environment, providing hope for consumers amidst fluctuating prices in various sectors.