Inflation New Zealand 1972

Average inflation: 7.0%

Current Inflation

Inflation is very high at 7.0%, far above the ECB target.

Peak and Trough

The highest inflation was in March at 8.5%. The lowest inflation was in December at 5.5%.

Highest month
March: 8.5%
Lowest month
December: 5.5%
Difference
3.0 percentage points
Months with data
4 of 12

Category Insights

The highest price increase was in Core inflation with an average of 7.6%. The lowest price increase was in Energy with an average of 2.9%.

Highest increase
Core inflation: 7.6%
Lowest increase
Energy: 2.9%

Historical Context

Current inflation is 1.7% lower than the 5-year average of 8.7%. This approaches the lowest level since records began (7.0% in 1972).

5-year average
8.7%
10-year average
8.7%
All-time high (1971)
10.4%
All-time low (1972)
7%

Trend

Inflation shows a downward trend. Compared to 1971, inflation has fallen by +3.4 percentage point.

Change vs. previous year
-3.4 percentage points
Largest monthly swing
September: -4.6 percentage points

ECB Target

Inflation is 5.0% above the ECB target of 2.0%. This means purchasing power is declining faster than intended.

Purchasing Power

At this high inflation rate, purchasing power rapidly decreases. This has a major impact on households, especially without adequate salary increases.

What you could buy for €100 this year will cost approximately €107.00 next year at this inflation rate.

Multi-year trend

Monthly figures 1972

Inflation by category

Food
4.8%
-2.2vs avg.
More details →
Energy
2.9%
-4.1vs avg.
More details →
Core inflation
7.6%
+0.6vs avg.
More details →

Inflation differs per product group. Click on a category for the historical trend.

Month overview

Month Inflation Difference vs. 1971
March 8.5% -1.8
June 7.4% -3.6
September 6.5% -4.6
December 5.5% -3.6
Average 7.0%

Data source

Data from WorldBank. Last updated: 04/01/2026.

See also