While prices measured by the consumer price index fell by 0.3% in December due to the clearance sales, the annual inflation rate jumped to 2.7% from the 2.3% in November.

Pushing up the consumer price index in the past year have been prices of energy products, food, and alcohol and tobacco.

With prices of fuel and lubricants up 11% over December 2011, the energy and transport-heavy group of goods and services was up 3.4% year-on-year.

Another energy-heavy group, housing, was up 0.8% for the year, as higher liquid fuel (8.4%) and electricity (4.4%) prices were dampened somewhat by cheaper gas (-10.4%) and solid fuels (-4.5%).

Food prices were up by 4.7% on last December, with vegetable and fruit prices leading the way with increases of 19.7% and 15.4% respectively.

The alcohol and tobacco group was up 9.4% on average as prices of tobacco rose 12.3% and alcohol was 5% more expensive than a year ago.

The only groups of goods and services to see drops in prices over last year were telecommunications (-1.1%) and house equipment (-0.7%).