Slightly lower inflation in the Netherlands

• Inflation rate in April 1.8 percent
• Food and energy lower inflation
• Inflation in the eurozone remains lower than in the Netherlands

The inflation rate in April 2009 was 1.8 percent. This is 0.2 percent point lower than in March according to the latest figures by Statistics Netherlands. The inflation rate in the eurozone remained 0.6 percent.

Food prices lowered inflation even if they were 3 percent more expensive in April than the year before, but in March the diffference had been 3.6 percent. In April fresh vegetables were much cheaper than in March.

Gas and electricity prices also lowered inflation. Energy was 11.4 percent more expensive in April than the year before. In March this had been 12.7 percent. The difference is caused by the price developments of new contracts where the price is fixed for a longer period. They became much cheaper in April. The rates for most contracts for gas and electricity are only adjusted in January and July.

The Dutch inflation rate according to the European harmonised method (HICP) in April was 1.8 percent. This is the same as in March. The inflation rate in the eurozone is much lower and remained the same at 0.6 percent. The difference with the Netherlands is mainly due to price changes which affected energy prices later in the Netherlands than in the rest of the eurozone.

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