Annual inflation cools in April to 2.3%, lowest since February 2021

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its monthly Consumer Price Index Summary May 13, 2025:

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX – APRIL 2025

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in April, after falling 0.1 percent in March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 2.3 percent before seasonal adjustment.

The index for shelter rose 0.3 percent in April, accounting for more than half of the all items monthly increase. The energy index also increased over the month, rising 0.7 percent as increases in the natural gas index and the electricity index more than offset a decline in the gasoline index. The index for food, in contrast, fell 0.1 percent in April as the food at home index decreased 0.4 percent and the food away from home index rose 0.4 percent over the month.

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent in April, following a 0.1-percent increase in March. Indexes that increased over the month include household furnishings and operations, medical care, motor vehicle insurance, education, and personal care. The indexes for airline fares, used cars and trucks, communication, and apparel were among the major indexes that decreased in April.

The all items index rose 2.3 percent for the 12 months ending April, after rising 2.4 percent over the 12 months ending March. The April change was the smallest 12-month increase in the all items index since February 2021. The all items less food and energy index rose 2.8 percent over the last 12 months. The energy index decreased 3.7 percent for the 12 months ending April. The food index increased 2.8 percent over the last year.

Food

The index for food decreased 0.1 percent in April, after rising 0.4 percent in March. The food at home index fell 0.4 percent over the month, the largest decline in that index since September 2020. Five of the six major grocery store food group indexes decreased in April. Driven primarily by a 12.7-percent decrease in the index for eggs, the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs fell 1.6 percent in April after rising in recent months. The fruits and vegetables index decreased 0.4 percent over the month and the cereals and bakery products index declined 0.5 percent.

The index for other food at home decreased 0.1 percent in April and the index for dairy and related products fell 0.2 percent. In contrast, the nonalcoholic beverages index increased 0.7 percent over the month.

The food away from home index rose 0.4 percent in April. The index for full service meals rose 0.6 percent over the month and the index for limited service meals rose 0.3 percent.

The index for food at home rose 2.0 percent over the last 12 months. The meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index rose 7.0 percent over the last 12 months as the eggs index increased 49.3 percent. The index for nonalcoholic beverages increased 3.2 percent over the same period, while the index for other food at home rose 0.7 percent. The dairy and related products index increased 1.6 percent over the 12 months ending in April. The cereals and bakery products index was unchanged over the year, while the index for fruits and vegetables decreased 0.9 percent over the same period.

The food away from home index rose 3.9 percent over the last year. The index for full service meals rose 4.3 percent and the index for limited service meals rose 3.4 percent over the same period.

Fresh Produce
Fresh fruit and vegetable prices dropped 0.7 percent in April 2025 from April 2024 and 0.1 percent from March to April 2025. Fresh fruit rose 1.5 percent year-over-year and 0.3 percent from March to April. Fresh vegetables saw a drop of 2.9 percent year-over-year and 0.6 percent from March to April 2025. Fresh lettuce and tomato prices each dropped 6.4 percent year-over-year.

Technical information: (202) 691-7000 * cpi_info@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/cpi
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov