The price of a pound of butter at the checkout rose on average last month by €1.03, according to new figures released today (Thursday, June 12) by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Shoppers also paid more for Irish cheddar which increased by 57 cent per kg while two litres of full fat milk also jumped by 27 cent in May.

Overall consumer prices in Ireland rose by 1.7% between May 2024 and May 2025 latest figures show.

According to the CSO the biggest price increases recorded over the 12 months to May 2025 were in relation to food and non-alcoholic beverages - which rose by 4.0% while alcoholic beverages and tobacco also increased by 3.1%.

The Consumer Price Index is designed to measure the change in the average level of prices - inclusive of all indirect taxes - paid for consumer goods and services in Ireland.

According to the CSO, while there was an increase in the price of an 800g loaf of white or brown sliced pan - which rose by 5 cent, there was a fall in the price of a 2.5kg bag of potatoes - which dropped by 25 cent last month when compared with similar prices for May 2024.

Anthony Dawson, statistician in the CSO prices division, also highlighted today that in particular the annual change in food and non- alcoholic beverages costs "reflects a rise in prices across a range of products, such as beef and veal".

But prices, as consumers will have noticed in their shopping bills, have also risen for items such as chocolate, confectionery and eggs. 

According to the CSO, the areas which showed the "largest growth" in May 2025 were clothing and footwear - which increased by 1.8% and restaurants and hotels which also rose by 0.9%.

The increase in clothing and footwear has been attributed to a "recovery from sales".

Meanwhile the areas which saw the largest declines last month month were transport, which fell by back by -2.8% and recreation and culture which fell by -1.5%.

Its latest analysis also shows that consumer prices remained "unchanged in the month between April 2025 and May 2025".