Consumer prices fell by two per cent in January compared with the same month last year, driven largely by lower food and imported goods prices, according to new data released by the Samoa Bureau of Statistics (SBS).

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) also declined 0.8 per cent compared with December 2025. The Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages division was the largest contributor to the annual decline, falling 6.6 per cent. The Recreation and Culture division recorded the largest monthly decrease, down 11.2 per cent, reflecting lower prices for laptops and televisions. Imported goods prices fell 4.3 per cent over the year, while locally produced goods rose 0.4 per cent. The imported items underlying index dropped 5.5 per cent, compared with a 1.6 per cent increase in the local underlying index.

Despite the overall decline, some divisions recorded increases. Transport rose 4.3 per cent, driven by higher petrol prices, increased car registration fees and a rise in boat fares to Pago Pago. Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco increased 4.9 per cent, while Restaurants and Hotels rose 4.3 per cent. Food accounts for a significant share of the CPI basket, meaning shifts in staple goods have an outsized impact on overall inflation.

The average annual inflation rate for the year ending January 2026 was 1.8 per cent, down from 2.1 per cent a year earlier. Among individual food items, chicken leg quarters recorded a 20.4 per cent decline compared with January 2025. Tomatoes fell 24.6 per cent, and round cabbage declined 23.8 per cent.

The chicken price movement follows heightened retail competition observed in January, when several retailers advertised low prices on a 15kg box of frozen chicken leg quarters at $65 each. The government has since set the retail price of chicken at $120. The latest CPI data appears to reflect that broader market movement. The next CPI release is scheduled for March 13.

The Consumer Price Index measures changes in the price of a fixed basket of goods and services purchased by households and is a key indicator of inflation trends in the economy.