Inflation Cools Sharply in October as Retail Discounts Drive Down Durable Goods Prices

OpenBrand CPI shows durable and personal goods inflation slows to +0.22%, the first deceleration in three months, as appliance and personal care prices fall

SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES, November 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Inflation across durable and personal goods cooled sharply in October as retailers deepened promotions and recalibrated prices ahead of the holiday season. The OpenBrand Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Durable and Personal Goods rose just +0.22% month-over-month, down from +0.48% in September, marking the first slowdown in price growth since July.

Prices fell across key household and personal categories, with appliances (-0.20%) and personal care products (-0.33%) both turning negative. The average discount depth climbed to 20.4%, near its highest level since mid-2024, even as the share of discounted SKUs dipped slightly to 24.6%.

“October may mark a turning point in consumer inflation,” said Ralph McLaughlin, Chief Economist at OpenBrand. “We’re seeing durable goods inflation cool as retailers strategically deepen promotions to sustain demand. Retail pricing decisions are now doing much of the work in stabilizing inflation.”

Only communication devices saw prices accelerate (+0.65%), as retailers scaled back promotions following two months of aggressive discounting. Home improvement (+0.49%) and recreation (+0.49%) products also saw slower price growth.

Macroeconomic context:
The slowdown comes amid a fragile economic backdrop, as the ongoing federal government shutdown—now in its sixth week—threatens to reduce Q4 GDP growth by up to two percentage points, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Despite these headwinds, retail-led price flexibility is helping to temper inflationary pressure in consumer goods.

About the OpenBrand CPI
The data used in this report leverages OpenBrand’s industry-leading library of durable and personal goods pricing, promotion, and availability for over 1.4 million individual products. This is more than ten times the coverage of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Price Index, allowing for more timely and granular reporting of price changes in the market. The OpenBrand CPI provides real-time insights into consumer price dynamics for retailers, manufacturers, and policymakers, delivering earlier signals than traditional inflation measures.

Download the full report: openbrand.com/cpi

Sidney Waterfall
OpenBrand
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