DUBLIN — While the broader cost of living continues to rise, the clothing and footwear sector has bucked the monthly trend, offering a brief respite for consumers in June 2026.
According to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report published on 09 July 2026 by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), prices within the clothing and footwear division experienced a monthly decline of 0.9% between May and June 2026. This downward movement stands in contrast to the overall CPI, which rose by 0.3% over the same period.
However, the headline monthly dip masks a more concerning reality for household budgets: a persistent and substantial annual inflation rate of 7.0% recorded for the 12 months leading up to June 2026.
This significant year-on-year surge indicates that clothing and footwear have become considerably more expensive for families over the past year. In fact, this inflationary pressure in the retail sector has been a key driver in the broader cost-of-living crisis, accounting for a 0.29 percentage point upward contribution to the total annual national CPI increase of 3.4%.
For shoppers, while the June monthly decline may provide a marginal, temporary reduction in price, the long-term trend remains steep, placing sustained pressure on personal finances as the cost of essential apparel and footwear continues to outpace many other areas of consumer spending.
