The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its monthly Consumer Price Index Summary March 12, 2025:
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX – FEBRUARY 2025
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in February, after rising 0.5 percent in January, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 2.8 percent before seasonal adjustment.
The index for shelter rose 0.3 percent in February, accounting for nearly half of the monthly all items increase. The shelter increase was partially offset by a 4.0-percent decrease in the index for airline fares and a 1.0-percent decline in the index for gasoline. Despite the decrease in the gasoline index, the energy index rose 0.2 percent over the month as the indexes for electricity and natural gas increased. The index for food also increased in February, rising 0.2 percent as the index for food away from home increased 0.4 percent. The food at home index was unchanged over the month.
The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent in February, following a 0.4-percent increase in January. Indexes that increased over the month include medical care, used cars and trucks, household furnishings and operations, recreation, apparel, and personal care. The indexes for airline fares and new vehicles were among the few major indexes that decreased in February.
The all items index rose 2.8 percent for the 12 months ending February, after rising 3.0 percent over the 12 months ending January. The all items less food and energy index rose 3.1 percent over the last 12 months. The energy index decreased 0.2 percent for the 12 months ending February. The food index increased 2.6 percent over the last year.
Food
The index for food increased 0.2 percent in February, after rising 0.4 percent in January. The food at home index was unchanged over the month as declines in four of the six major grocery store food group indexes were offset by increases in the remaining two. The index for other food at home decreased 0.5 percent in February as did the index
for fruits and vegetables and the index for nonalcoholic beverages. The dairy and related products index declined 1.0 percent over the month.
Driven primarily by a 10.4-percent increase in the index for eggs, the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs rose 1.6 percent in February. The beef index also increased over the month, rising 2.4 percent. The index for cereals and bakery products rose 0.4 percent in February, after falling 0.4 percent in January.
The food away from home index rose 0.4 percent in February. The index for full service meals rose 0.4 percent over the month and the index for limited service meals rose 0.3 percent.
The food at home index rose 1.9 percent over the last 12 months. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs rose 7.7 percent over the last 12 months as the index for eggs increased 58.8 percent. The nonalcoholic beverages index increased 2.1 percent over the same period, while the dairy and related products index rose 0.8 percent, and the cereals and bakery products index increased 0.3 percent. The index for other food at home increased 0.1 percent over the year. In contrast, the fruits and vegetables index decreased 0.2 percent over the same period.
The food away from home index rose 3.7 percent over the last year. The index for full service meals also rose 3.7 percent and the index for limited service meals rose 3.5 percent over the same period.
Produce
Fresh fruits and vegetables fell -1.0 percent from January to February, and it dropped -0.3 percent year-over-year. Fresh fruit rose 1.9 percent year-over-year but dropped -0.4 percent for the month. Fresh vegetables fell -2.5 percent year-over-year and -1.7 percent from January to February.
Detailed expenditures can be found here.
