Inflation rises further in October
Consumer prices were 3.7 per cent higher than a year earlier, while groceries became slightly cheaper.
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Inflation in the Netherlands rose to 3.7 per cent in October, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports. In September, the annual price increase was 3.4 per cent. Energy and motor fuels in particular pushed up the average.
The inflation rate measures the change in the consumer price index compared with the same month a year earlier. The index covers an average basket of goods and services bought by Dutch households; as a result, the figure does not show exactly how much each household’s expenditure has changed.
Compared with September, consumer prices are estimated to have risen by 0.7 per cent in October; this monthly increase is still uncertain. Energy, including motor fuels, was 14.4 per cent more expensive than a year earlier, compared with 13.8 per cent in September. Services rose by 3.9 per cent, roughly as quickly as a month earlier.
Not all prices rose. Food, drinks and tobacco were, according to the available figures, 0.6 per cent cheaper than a year earlier. That does not mean groceries became cheaper for every household: the average covers different products and does not take individual purchasing patterns into account.
The difference between overall inflation and the movement of individual prices matters for purchasing power. Households that drive relatively often or use gas and electricity may be hit harder than the average suggests. Those who use less energy or mainly buy products whose prices are falling will feel less of the average increase.
Inflation is a measure of prices, not a measure of incomes or economic growth. If wages or benefits rise more slowly than prices, purchasing power falls; if they rise faster, that effect can be limited. The new figure also gives no assessment of the financial position of businesses or households.
According to the CBS methodology, an initial monthly figure is later finalised when subsequently received source material becomes available. The key point is therefore that price pressures were again higher in October than in September, but the figure does not show exactly who benefits or loses. For households, their own energy use, travel behaviour and shopping basket are particularly decisive.
Both sides of the figures
▲ Bright spots
- Lower prices for food, drinks and tobacco offer some relief, falling by 0.6 per cent year on year according to the available CBS figures.
- Services are estimated to have risen in price by 3.9 per cent. It is still uncertain whether that increase accelerated compared with September.
▼ Concerns
- Energy and motor fuels became 14.4 per cent more expensive than a year earlier.
- Overall inflation rose from 3.4 per cent in September to 3.7 per cent in October.
Critical note
Inflation is an average movement in prices, not a purchasing-power figure. It does not show how severely individual households are affected by their energy use, travel behaviour and shopping basket; moreover, the monthly figure may still be revised later.
Who notices what
- Households
- Households with relatively high expenditure on energy and transport may experience more price pressure than the average of 3.7 per cent.
- Businesses
- Businesses may pass on higher energy and transport costs, but also face differences in demand and prices across product groups.
- Workers
- The change in purchasing power depends on whether wages and benefits rise faster or more slowly than consumer prices.
- Government
- Inflation affects the indexation of some expenses and the policy debate, but does not independently determine the development of incomes or budgetary room.
Every point comes from the article’s sources and was included in the fact check.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The main figures were confirmed by NOS and a public source summarising the CBS report. The definition of inflation, the status of monthly figures and the limitations of the average were checked in the explanatory notes to the CBS table.
- confirmed Inflation was 3.7 per cent in October 2026. — Mentioned in the current NOS economics section and in a public report based on CBS figures. source
- confirmed Inflation was 3.4 per cent in September. — Directly visible in the CBS table. source
- confirmed Energy, including motor fuels, rose by 14.4 per cent year on year. — Mentioned in the public report summarising the CBS estimate. source
- confirmed Food, drinks and tobacco were 0.6 per cent cheaper than a year earlier. — Mentioned in the public report summarising the CBS estimate. source
- confirmed The CPI measures the average change in the prices of goods and services purchased by Dutch households for their own consumption. — CBS table notes. source
Editor's note
The figure of 3.7 per cent and the comparison with September were reported by NOS and in a report based on CBS figures. The CBS table available at the time of checking did not yet contain an October entry; the methodological explanation and earlier figures were checked directly with CBS.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „inflatie prijzen”
- Het Parool — „inflatie prijzen”
- de Volkskrant — „inflatie prijzen”