In August, Morocco witnessed a notable increase in consumer prices, rising by 0.8% compared to the previous month, primarily fueled by escalating prices in the food and fuel sectors, according to the latest data released by the High Commission for Planning (HCP). This surge in prices has been attributed to a 0.9% hike in food prices alongside a 0.7% increase in non-food items, reflecting the growing financial pressure on consumers.
Delving deeper into the food category, certain items experienced particularly steep price rises. Fish and seafood, as well as dairy products such as milk, cheese, and eggs, each saw a significant increase of 2.8%. The cost of meat followed closely behind, rising by 2.2%, while vegetables experienced a more modest increase of 1%. Interestingly, beverages like coffee, tea, and cocoa saw a slight uptick of 0.3%. Conversely, fruit prices exhibited a downward trend, declining by 1.9% from the previous month.
The non-food category was notably affected by soaring fuel prices, which surged by an impressive 9.8% over the month. This increase in fuel costs has contributed significantly to the overall inflationary pressures felt across the nation. The effects of this monthly price hike were felt in various cities, albeit at different rates. Al Hoceima experienced the largest increase at 1.6%, followed closely by Agadir with a 1.4% rise. Other cities such as Tetouan, Safi, and Beni Mellal each recorded a 1.2% increase, while Oujda and Fez saw rises of 1.1% and 1%, respectively. Tangier registered a 0.9% increase, while Rabat, Settat, and Errachidia recorded a 0.8% rise. In contrast, cities like Marrakech, Meknes, Laayoune, Dakhla, and Guelmim experienced a more moderate increase of 0.6%, with Casablanca and Kenitra showing the smallest rise at 0.5%.
Despite this monthly increase, the annual consumer price index revealed a different narrative, indicating that prices in August were actually 0.3% lower than in the same month of the previous year. This annual decline was largely driven by a significant drop in food prices, which fell by 3.9%. In contrast, non-food prices saw an increase of 2.5%. Within the non-food category, transport services recorded the highest annual increase at 7.3%, while communication services were the only category to report a slight annual decline of 0.2%.
Additionally, an alternate measure of core inflation, which excludes items with volatile prices and those subject to public tariffs, showed a minimal increase of 0.2% from July and a slight rise of 0.1% compared to August 2025. These latest statistics reflect a notable divergence between short-term and long-term price trends in Morocco. While the monthly inflation rate rose significantly in August due to higher fuel and food costs, the annual consumer prices remained slightly below those of the previous year, presenting a complex picture of the economic landscape.
As reported by moroccoworldnews.com.
