Africa-Press – Eswatini. Shoppers in Eswatini are beginning to feel a welcome reprieve at the tills, as the latest figures from the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development show inflation dipping to 2.8% in July 2025.
The report, released by the Central Statistical Office’s National Accounts Unit, highlights a steady slowdown in price increases. This marks a slight improvement from June’s 2.9% and a significant drop from 4.2% in July 2024, signalling that the cost of living pressures are gradually easing.
Mixed Trends Across Sectors
The data paints a varied picture across different sectors. Goods prices rose moderately by 3.1%, while services maintained stability at 2.4%. On a month-to-month basis, inflation inched down by 0.1%, helping to ease the burden on households managing tight budgets.
One of the most positive developments is in the food and non-alcoholic beverages category, where inflation dropped to -0.6%. This decline—driven by cheaper fresh produce and mineral water, has brought immediate relief to families.
Hospitality Bounces Back
Meanwhile, the hospitality sector saw a dramatic shift. After an unusual 5.1% decline in June, prices in restaurants and hotels rebounded by 5.3% in July, reflecting growing demand for leisure and dining experiences.
Areas of Concern
Not all categories followed the downward trend. The alcohol, tobacco, and narcotics category registered sharp increases, largely due to rising beer prices. On the other hand, price growth slowed in personal care services like hairdressing, pulling overall inflation for miscellaneous goods and services down to 3.8%.
Outlook
Overall, July’s figures present an encouraging outlook for consumers: falling food prices are cushioning households, even as some services experience upward pressure. Analysts will be watching the coming months closely to see whether this cooling inflation trend persists or if sectors such as hospitality and alcohol push costs upward again.
For now, however, Eswatini’s shoppers can celebrate some relief in their daily expenses.
Source: Eswatini Positive News – News Website
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