Footwear prices fell slightly in September, their first time in sixteen months.
The decline was less than that of apparel prices, however, according to data released last week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Although the footwear CPI decreased by .5% compared to September 2014, the first decline since June 2014, it was a stark contrast to the 1.6% drop in apparel prices year-over-year. On a combined basis, apparel and footwear prices fell by 1.4%.
Women’s footwear increased by .3%, while men’s dropped by 2 percent and children’s footwear prices edged down by only .1%.
Overall unadjusted inflation in the U.S. was flat in September, as a steep drop in gasoline and other energy prices offset increases in food, housing and medical care prices.