Inflation accelerated again in Italy in April 2026, with rising energy and food costs putting renewed pressure on household budgets. According to data released by Italy’s national statistics office Istat, consumer prices increased by 2.7% year-on-year, up sharply from 1.7% in March.
The rise was driven mainly by energy prices and fresh food products, two categories that directly affect everyday spending.
The steepest increases were recorded in goods and services purchased frequently by consumers, including bread, pasta, milk, fuel and everyday services such as cafés and hairdressers. Prices in this category rose by 4.2% annually, compared with 3.1% the previous month.
The so-called “shopping basket,” which includes food, household and personal care products, also saw inflation edge up from 2.2% to 2.3%.
Energy prices posted particularly strong gains. Electricity, gas and fuel prices were up 9.2% compared with April 2025. Heating diesel surged by 38.1%, while diesel fuel for vehicles rose by 27.8%. Petrol prices returned to positive territory at +1.1% after months of decline, and natural gas costs on the liberalized market also increased.
Fresh food prices followed a similar trend. Unprocessed food products, including fruit, vegetables and fish — rose by 5.9% year-on-year. Vegetable and legume prices increased by 6.2%, fish by 3.2% and fruit by 2.9%. Processed and packaged foods, by contrast, showed more moderate increases.
Despite the broader rise in prices, core inflation — which excludes volatile components such as energy and fresh food, slowed from 1.9% to 1.6%. Service inflation also eased, particularly in transport and leisure-related sectors, suggesting that price pressures remain concentrated in raw materials and seasonal goods rather than spreading across the wider economy.