The annual rate rose for the first time in eight months in June, accelerating to 2.04% from a record low of 1.79% in May.
Food items were 0.1% costlier in July from a month earlier, while prices in the non-food and services sectors each rose 0.8% on the month, INS data showed.
Romanians paid by 3.1% more for fresh vegetables in July compared with June, while eggs were by 1.43% more expensive.
In the non-food sector, electricity prices increased 5.38% on the month, while the price of cigarettes and tobacco products went up 1.2%, the data showed. Postal and telecom services were 1.5% costlier on the month.
Romania’s harmonized index of consumer prices, or HICP, fell slightly to 2.9% at the end of July, from 3.1% the month before.
The central bank targets an annual inflation of 3% at the end of 2012, plus/minus one percentage point around the band. Last week, the bank left its year-end forecast unchanged at 3.2% and warned of heightened inflationary risks due to higher international prices, a weaker leu and domestic political tensions.
Annual inflation could peak to 3.8% in September due to an unfavorable base effect on food prices, the central bank said.