The Food Consumer Price Indices (base=2010) consists of a complete and consistent set of time series from January 2000 onwards, as well as regional, global food CPIs compiled by FAO using population weights to aggregate across countries. These indices measure the price change between the current and reference periods of the average basket of goods and services purchased by households. The general CPI is typically used to measure and monitor inflation, set monetary policy targets, index social benefits such as pensions and unemployment benefits, and to escalate thresholds and credits in the income tax systems and wages in public and private wage contracts.
