​​The Statistics Unit produces an annual report that compares prices for a range of products in the UK, Guernsey and Jersey.

The report examines the rate at which prices have changed by looking at the behaviour of the groups and sections that constitute the Retail Prices Index in each jurisdiction. Additionally, direct comparisons of prices are made where possible in order to give an indication of relative price levels.

The latest report shows that:

• the overall increase of the RPI over the 6-year period from June 2005 to June 2011 has been similar in Jersey (21%), Guernsey (19%) and the UK (22%)
• during the 12 months to June 2011 the RPI increased by 4.5% in Jersey, by 3.0% in Guernsey and by 5.0% in the UK
• a significant difference between the 3 jurisdictions is the type and amount of tax levied on certain goods and services. The increase in the rate of GST in Jersey in June 2011 contributed 1.3 percentage points to the latest annual increase of the Jersey RPI
• underlying inflation in June 2011, as measured by the annual change in RPI(Y) , was 3.0% in Jersey, 2.4% in Guernsey and 3.7% in the UK
• direct food comparisons show that meat prices were, on average, about a quarter higher in Jersey than in the UK; the cost of fresh fruit and vegetables was about a third higher in Jersey
  the mean retail price of alcohol was higher in Jersey than in the UK, by around 30p for a pint of beer or lager and a similar difference for a nip of whisky
• the mean retail price of cigarettes was lower in Jersey than in the UK, by about £1 for a packet of 20 cigarettes
• the mean retail price of unleaded petrol and diesel was lower in Jersey than in the UK, by about 15p per litre
• the pre-tax prices of alcohol, tobacco and motor fuels were higher in Jersey than in the UK

Download consumer price comparison report June 2011 (size 430kb)