Antigua and Barbuda recorded a 1.4% decline in consumer prices for the year ending August 2025. The Ministry of Finance and Corporate Governance released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) through its Statistics Division. Moreover, the drop was mainly driven by falling transport costs, furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance.

Notably, the Transport Services index fell 28.7%, primarily due to cheaper airline fares to Barbados. The average fare dropped from $4,037.31 to $1,328.56. As a result, transport contributed the most to the overall CPI decline.

In addition, the index for Furnishings, Household Equipment, and Routine Household Maintenance fell 2.9%. The largest contributors were Furniture and Furnishings, Carpets and Other Floor Coverings, which dropped 7.4%. Glassware, Tableware, and Household Utensils fell 5.9%.

However, the Food index rose by 1.1%, with Vegetables, Fruits, and Meat products driving the increase. Within Vegetables, all sub-categories saw price rises, especially Frozen, Preserved, or Processed Vegetables (+7.2%). Meanwhile, Frozen, Preserved, or Processed Fruits jumped 17.8%.

Furthermore, the All Items Less Food and Energy index fell 2.1%, influenced by reductions in transport, furnishings, household items, and clothing & footwear.

On a month-to-month basis, the CPI for August 2025 decreased 0.3% compared to July. This was mainly due to lower actual rentals for housing (-1.2%) and Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages (-0.4%).

Specifically, the Food index fell 0.8%. Six of nine supermarket food groups recorded price decreases. Fruit dropped 9.5%, Meat and Meat Products fell 5.1%, and Bread and Cereals declined 1.9%. However, Oils and Fats (+6.3%), Vegetables (+4.4%), and Fish and Seafood (+1.9%) saw price increases.

Similarly, the All Items Less Food and Energy index declined 0.2%. Reductions in housing rentals (-1.7%), Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco, and Narcotics (-0.3%), and furnishings (-0.1%) offset increases in Clothing & Footwear (+0.9%), Transport Services (+0.5%), and Miscellaneous Goods and Services (+0.5%).

Overall, the annual and monthly declines reflect a mix of falling transport and household costs, partially balanced by rising food prices. Economists expect continued attention to airfare trends and household goods prices in the coming months.

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