According to data published on May 5, 2025 by the National Institute of Statistics (INS), the inflation rate fell slightly. This is mainly due to the slowdown in the rise in food prices and clothing. Despite this trend, certain sectors continue to undergo notable inflationary pressures.
The press – The month of April 2025 marks a slight withdrawal of the inflation rate in Tunisia. According to the latest data published on the consumer price index, annual inflation is 5.6 %, compared to 5.9 % in March. This decrease, although modest, is part of a context of persistence of pressures on prices, especially in food and manufactured goods.
Food prices always sous tension
One of the determining factors in this attenuation of inflation is the slowdown in the rise in food prices, the increase in annual sliding increased from 7.8 % in March to 7.3 % in April. This development weighed heavily on global inflation, knowing that the “Fresh food” group is the second contributor to annual inflation with a share of 2.2 %, just after manufactured products (2 %). In detail, fresh vegetable prices jumped 24.3 %, followed by fresh fruit (+19.2 %), sheep meat (+18.8 %) and fresh fish (+10.6 %).
However, this outbreak is partially counterbalanced by a sharp drop in food oil prices (-20.9 %). This contrast reflects the volatility of agricultural markets and imbalances in supply and demand, exacerbated by climatic effects and tensions on logistics chains. In monthly comparison, food prices remained overall stable in April, thanks to a drop in egg prices (-2.9 %), fresh vegetables (-1.1 %) and poultry (-0.3 %). On the other hand, meats (sheep +1.9 %, bovine +0.7 %) and fresh fruit ( +0.7 %) continued their upward trend. In addition to food, the clothing sector has also influenced inflation.
-The prices of clothing products experienced a monthly increase of 4.2 %, a direct consequence of the end of winter sales. In annual shift, this segment displays an increase of 9.4 % in April, against 11.7 % in March. Shoes follow the same trend with a monthly increase of 4.9 %. These increases confirm the growing weight of clothing expenses in the consumption basket, especially during seasonal transition periods.
Underlying inflation in slight withdrawal
The underlying inflation, which excludes food and energy products, stood at 5.5 % in April, compared to 5.7 % in March. This slowdown testifies to relative stability Prices outside volatile components, although free products and services continue to grow at a sustained pace. Uncloated products recorded an increase of 6.8 % over one year, compared to only 1.7 % for products at regulated prices. In food, this disparity is even more marked: free prices products increased by 8.2 %, while those at supervised prices only increased by 1.1 %. This difference illustrates the limited impact of regulatory mechanisms in a context of imported inflation and structural imbalances. Among the services, the group “Restaurants, cafes and hotels” stands out with a significant increase of 11.5 % over a year, contributing to the general increase in services of services (+4.7 %). This increase is partly explained by the resumption of the tourism sector and the repercussions of the increase in operating costs (energy, wages, raw materials).
Uncertain perspectives despite a slowdown
Although inflation shows a moderate slowdown in April, its structure remains worrying. The most dynamic components remain the most sensitive for households: food, clothing, services. The high contribution of “free food” (2 %) and “free food” (3.2 %) groups to global inflation testifies to a dynamic that still largely escapes the control of the authorities. In this context, the challenge for the coming months lies in the ability to contain these inflationary pressures without affecting the economic recovery. Better regulation of sectors, the diversification of supply sources, as well as a vigilant monetary policy will be necessary to preserve the purchasing power of households.
