In April, the composite consumer price index (with 2020 as 100), which excludes fresh food, was 104.8, up 3.4% from the same month last year. The rate of increase was 0.3 percentage points higher than the previous month, the first increase in three months.

The rise was mainly due to food, excluding fresh food, which rose 9.0%. This is the highest level in 46 years and 11 months. Eggs rose 33.7% due to the continued shortage of eggs caused by the avian influenza outbreak. In addition, hamburgers and chocolates from restaurants rose 18.2% and 15.0%, respectively, due to the rising prices of raw materials and packaging materials.

Furthermore, household consumables also rose 12.6%, with laundry detergent up 19.8% and toilet paper up 16.3%. Daily necessities have also been affected.

With electricity and other price hikes on the horizon, there is still no prospect of price hikes coming to an end.