Price increase intentions of companies are down, but…

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2025/8-9.

The first of these was the Covid-19 pandemic, which was followed by the energy crisis caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Price increase intentions strengthened in all four sectors and these were backed by the rapid rebound following the pandemic-induced downturn. From mid-2022 price expectations began to fall, and between 2023 and mid-2024 there was a period of calm in this regard. In late autumn 2024 price rise expectations rose slightly, presumably due to the more and more uncertain economic environment.

What can we expect in the near future?

In June 2025 (looking at the four sectors together), 17% of companies were planning to raise prices in the next three months, while 8% were about to cut prices. It is bad news for consumers that the intention to raise prices is strongest in the retail trade sector, where 27% of respondents plan to do so. The vast majority of respondents expect higher sales prices for fuels and heating materials in the near future. A significant majority also forecast price increases for daily consumer goods, e.g. food, beverages and chemical products. Corporate expectations indicate that lack of consumer demand is holding back price increase plans in several sectors, but cost pressures remain strong.