• Food and non-alcoholic beverages prices were 3.9 percent higher in February than in the corresponding month, the year before.
• Electricity prices increased by 2.4 per cent from January to February and were 8.9 percent higher than a year ago.
• Rents for rental apartments rose by 6.3 percent compared to February last year.
• Fuel prices were 7.0 percent lower in February this year compared to last year.
• 0.6 percent is the highest positive monthly change for CPI since December 2023.

Higher food prices in February

The price development from January to February was 0.6 percent. In the corresponding period last year, prices increased by 0.2 percent.

Prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages went up from January to February. The monthly change in food and non-alcoholic beverages has not been this significant since February 2023. There were among other things, dairy products, vegetables, and coffee that increased particularly in price.

Clothing prices also rose, which is seasonally normal for February. Prices in recreation and culture increased, where package holidays and home electronics, such as audio-visual, photographic and information processing equipment, contributing the most. Furthermore, the electricity prices increased from January to February. Within the accommodation services group, it was the prices for hotel visits on weekends that contributed to increased prices.

The increase was mitigated by lower interest rates for owner-occupied housing and tenant-owned apartments.

The table below shows changes on a monthly basis and contributions to the CPI based on the goods and services that had the greatest impact on the CPI in February 2025. The results are presented by COICOP category. COICOP refers to the United Nations classification of household consumption expenditure.

Contributions to the inflation rate in February

The inflation rate according to the CPI, that is, the change in the CPI from the same month last year, was 1.3 percent in February 2025. This is an increase from January, when the inflation rate was 0.9 percent.

The inflation rate in February was impacted by higher prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages, where dairy products, coffee, and chocolate among others, had a significant effect.

In addition, rents for rental apartments have risen, as electricity prices have done. Furthermore, there have been price increases for restaurant visits and accommodation services. Higher prices for clothing, package holidays and higher prices in the group miscellaneous goods and services which all have contributed to the inflation rate.

The inflation rate was offset by lower interest costs for owner-occupied housing and tenant-owned apartments. Fuel prices have fallen since the corresponding month last year.

The inflation rate according to CPIF, which unlike CPI is not affected by changes in mortgage interest rates, was 2.9 percent in February.

The inflation rate calculated excluding energy products (CPIF-XE) was 3.0 percent in February which was an increase from 2.2 percent in January.

Different measures of inflation

Statistics Sweden calculates different inflation measures for different purposes. The CPIF is the Riksbank’s target variable, while CPI is the measure used for purposes of compensation. The CPIF includes the same goods and services as CPI. The difference between the CPI and the CPIF is that the latter measure holds interest rates for household’s mortgages constant. Consequently, the effect of changed interest rates for household’s mortgages is only captured by the CPI and not the CPIF.

Additional to the CPI and the CPIF, the HICP is also calculated. The HICP is a harmonized measure of inflation used within the EU cooperation. Another index that is calculated each month is CPIF-XE (the CPIF excluding energy products) which is often used as a measure of underlying inflation.