Restaurant inflation jumps to 4.2% in April as commercial LPG squeezes eateries
April CPI edged to 3.48% from 3.4%, but restaurant and accommodation prices rose 4.2% YoY (vs 2.9% in March) with a sharp 1.5% MoM print. Commercial LPG costs are biting F&B operators even as headline inflation stays benign. RBI sees FY27 CPI at 4.6%; rate-hike risk builds from October.
What happened
India CPI · April retail inflation edged up to 3.48%, but restaurant and accommodation prices jumped 4.2% YoY on commercial LPG cost pressures, squeezing
Key facts
- 3.48% April CPI
- 3.4% March CPI
- restaurant inflation 4.2% YoY April vs 2.9% March
- MoM 1.5% restaurant prices
- core inflation 3.7%
- rural 3.74%
- urban 3.16%
- RBI FY27 CPI forecast 4.6%
- repo rate 5.25%
- HSBC FY CPI 5.6%
Why this matters
Input-cost stress on smaller F&B operators opens a window for consolidation plays and distressed acquisitions of regional chains lacking pricing power or fuel-cost scale.