In March 2026, France saw a 1.7% annual rise in consumer prices

Inflation Outlook for March 2026

According to preliminary figures released at the end of the month, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is projected to climb by 1.7% in March 2026 compared to the same month last year, following a 0.9% increase in February. This anticipated rise in inflation is largely attributed to a significant rebound in energy costs, especially petroleum products, which are expected to surge by 7.3% year-on-year after having declined by 2.9% in February.

Service prices are also expected to see a modest uptick over the year, along with a slight increase in tobacco prices. In contrast, prices for manufactured goods are forecasted to decline more sharply than they did in February, while food prices are likely to slow their rate of increase over the year. On a monthly basis, consumer prices are set to rise as well.