Tunisia inflation eases to 5.3 percent in June as food price growth slows

Tunisia's annual inflation rate eased to 5.3 percent in June 2026, the National Institute of Statistics (INS) said on Sunday 5 July, pulling back from a one-year high of 5.5 percent recorded in both April and May.

The primary driver of the slowdown was a sharp deceleration in food and drink prices, which rose 7.1 percent year-on-year in June, down from 8.2 percent the previous month, the INS said.

Meat and fresh produce still sharply higher

Despite the monthly improvement, several staples remained significantly more expensive than a year earlier. Lamb prices rose 18.3 percent on the year, beef 13.6 percent, poultry 13.5 percent, fresh fish 11.7 percent and fresh fruit 11 percent, according to INS data.

Cooking oil prices fell 5.5 percent year-on-year and eggs fell 3.1 percent, providing some offset.

On a monthly basis, the overall consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.2 percent between May and June. Clothing and footwear prices climbed 1.7 percent over the month and restaurant, café and hotel prices rose 1 percent, the INS said. Food and drink prices fell 0.9 percent month-on-month, led by declines in poultry (−3.1 percent), fresh vegetables (−2.7 percent), eggs (−2.1 percent), fresh fruit (−1.6 percent) and lamb (−1.1 percent).

Core inflation edges up; price controls hold the line

Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, nudged up to 4.9 percent in June from 4.8 percent in May, the INS said, signalling that underlying price pressures remain broadly contained but have not yet fully subsided.

The gap between regulated and unregulated prices remained wide. Goods and services at free-market prices rose 6.3 percent year-on-year, while products subject to price controls rose just 1.3 percent, the INS said. Within food, unregulated items rose 8 percent on the year against 0.2 percent for price-controlled food products.

Manufactured goods prices rose 4.7 percent year-on-year, driven mainly by clothing and footwear, which were up 9.2 percent. Services rose 4.3 percent over the same period, with hotel and accommodation prices surging 15.4 percent, reflecting summer tourism demand.

The INS said manufactured goods and services together accounted for the largest contributions to overall inflation in June, at 1.8 percentage points and 1.4 percentage points respectively.

A volatile year so far

The June reading caps a volatile first half of 2026. Inflation stood at 4.8 percent in January, rose to 5 percent in both February and March, then jumped to 5.5 percent in April — its highest level in a year — and held there in May before easing in June.

The government had targeted annual average inflation of around 5.3 percent for 2026 as a whole, matching the full-year average recorded in 2025, according to Tunisia's 2026 Economic Balance Report. The June reading is in line with that target, though food price volatility, particularly in livestock and fresh produce, remains a risk for the second half of the year.