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Consumer prices rise to 2% in September due to food costs

Published: 02 Oct. 2025, 12:13 Updated: 02 Oct. 2025, 14:29

Grocery shoppers are seen at a large supermarket in Seoul on Aug. 11. [YONHAP]

Korea's consumer prices grew by more than 2 percent in September, returning to the 2 percent range after one month, largely due to rising prices of essential food items, data showed Thursday.

Consumer prices, a key gauge of inflation, increased 2.1 percent from a year earlier last month, according to the data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics.

Inflation had remained above the Bank of Korea's 2 percent target for four consecutive months through April before slowing to 1.9 percent in May. It then climbed again, staying above 2 percent in both June and July, before slowing down to 1.7 percent in August.

The ministry attributed last month's increase to a sharp and continued rise in the prices of processed foods, livestock, fisheries and other essential food items.

Prices of industrial goods rose 4.2 percent on year in September.

Among industrial goods, prices of bread and coffee jumped 6.5 percent and 15.6 percent on year, respectively.

Livestock and fisheries product prices also increased by 5.4 percent and 6.4 percent, respectively.

Notably, pork and rice prices surged by 6.3 percent and 15.9 percent, respectively.

Egg prices rose 9.2 percent amid increased demand ahead of the Chuseok harvest holiday, which falls early next week, marking the largest on-year increase in three years and eight months.

Dining-out prices rose 3.4 percent on year driven by higher delivery fees and the base effect from last year's holiday discount promotions.

"There was an upward adjustment in prices for items like pizza, hamburgers and coffee, following the end of promotional discounts," said Lee Doo-won, a ministry official. "The rise in delivery charges also contributed to the increase."

The service sector continued its upward trend, posting a 2.2 percent on year gain.

Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, went up 2 percent in September, accelerating from August's 1.3 percent growth.

Yonhap