French consumer prices fall 0.3% monthly as deflation emerges
French monthly consumer prices and manufactured goods both declined 0.3% in September 2026.
Event / Economy
France Inflation September 2026
French inflation reached 3.1% year-on-year in September 2026, the highest level since January 2024, driven primarily by energy price increases of 21.3%. Energy costs, particularly petroleum products up 36.2%, reflect international supply tensions. Service prices accelerated to 2.4% and food prices rose 1.4%, while core inflation excluding volatile energy increased to 1.5%.
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2026-10-15 to 2026-10-28 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 15 Oct, 13:08 UTC
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What happened
Monthly consumer prices decline 0.3% in France in September
Consumer prices in France declined 0.3% on a month-on-month basis in September 2026, following a 0.7% increase in August. The monthly decline was driven by seasonal decreases in service prices, particularly in tourism and transport services, which typically rise during summer months.
Food prices increase 1.4% year-on-year in France
Food prices in France rose 1.4% on a year-on-year basis in September 2026, up from 1.1% in August, contributing to overall inflationary pressures across the economy.
Manufactured product prices decline 0.3% in France
Manufactured product prices in France fell 0.3% year-on-year in September 2026, down from a 0.4% decline in August, representing the only major product category experiencing price decreases.
Core inflation in France stands at 1.5% in September
Core inflation, which excludes volatile price categories like energy, reached 1.5% in France in September 2026, up from 1.1% in August, indicating underlying price pressures beyond energy costs.
Energy prices surge 21.3% year-on-year in France in September
Energy prices in France jumped 21.3% year-on-year in September 2026, driving the overall inflation increase. Petroleum products rose 36.2%, with diesel up 44.1%, gasoline up 25.7%, and liquid fuels up 64.6%. Gas prices increased 19.0% while electricity prices rose 1.4%.
Service prices accelerate 2.4% year-on-year in France
Service prices in France accelerated to 2.4% year-on-year in September 2026, up from 1.9% in August. Transport services particularly increased by 5.1%, with aircraft services jumping 10.0%, reflecting broader price pressures in the services sector.
France inflation reaches 3.1% year-on-year in September 2026
French inflation reached 3.1% on a year-on-year basis in September 2026, according to final figures published by INSEE on October 15, 2026. This represents the highest level since January 2024, revised upward by 0.1 percentage point from the provisional estimate published at the end of September.
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Energy prices surge 21.3%, driving French inflation to 3.1%
Energy prices surged 21.3%, pushing French inflation to 3.1% in September.