The growth of consumer prices in Ukraine in May 2024 accelerated to 0.6% from 0.2% in April, 0.5% in March, 0.3% in February and 0.4% in January, the State Statistics Service reported.

The statistics agency recalled that in May 2023 the price increase was 0.5%, therefore, in annual terms, inflation in May of this year increased to 3.3% from 3.2% in April and March, 4.3% in February and 4.7% in January.

It is indicated that last month underlying inflation fell to 0.3% from 0.7% in April, with 1% in March and 0.4% in February-January. Taking into account the fact that in May 2023 underlying inflation was 0.3%, in annual terms it did not change and at the end of the last month remained at the level of April (4.4%), while in March this figure was 4.2%, in February - 4.5% and in January - 4.6%.

According to the statistics agency, in the consumer market in May, compared to April 2024, prices for food and non-alcoholic drinks increased by 0.9%. Fruit prices increased the most (by 10.4%). Prices for vegetables, rice, fish and fish products, bread, dairy products, sugar, pasta, meat and meat products, and butter increased by 1.3-0.4%. At the same time, eggs fell in price by 14.3%, prices for lard, milk and dairy products decreased by 1.7–0.4%.

Prices for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products increased by 0.7% last month, which is associated with an increase in the price of tobacco products by 1.4%. Clothing and footwear fell in price by 1.5%, in particular clothing - by 1.7%, shoes - by 1.4%.

An increase in prices in the healthcare sector by 0.9% was observed primarily due to an increase in prices for pharmaceutical products by 1.2%.

Transport prices increased by 0.9%, mainly due to a 1.1% rise in prices for fuel and lubricating oils.

As reported, inflation in Ukraine in 2023 fell to 5.1% after a jump in 2022 to 26.6% from 10% in 2021.

The National Bank of Ukraine at the end of April 2024 improved the inflation forecast for 2024 from 8.6% to 8.2% and worsened it for 2025 from 5.8% to 6%.