Prices of consumer goods and services in Croatia, as measured by the consumer price index, increased by 5.5% in December 2021 compared with December 2020, while in the whole of 2021 they rose by 2.6% year on year, the state statistics bureau (DZS) said on Monday.

The annual inflation rate in December was the highest since October 2008, when it was 5.9%.

Compared with November 2021, consumer prices on average stayed the same.

The highest year-on-year price increase was observed in transport, of 11.4%, which was largely generated by fuel price increases, of 22.5% on an annual level.

All other categories also recorded annual price increases, except the health sector which registered a decrease of 0.3%.

Food prices, which account for a significant portion of the goods basket, continued their rise that began in July, increasing by an average of 8.1% in December.

Prices of alcoholic drinks and tobacco increased by 5.9%, clothing and footwear by 3.7%, housing by 3.2% and household furniture by 4%.

Compared with November, the highest increase in prices was registered for food and non-alcoholic beverages (+1.4%). Prices of clothing and footwear decreased by 8.2% and those of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels by 0.2%.

The average annual inflation rate for the entire year was 2.6%.