Lower food inflation was behind the fall. Food prices rose by 6.6 per cent in January, compared with 8 per cent in December.

However, higher non-food inflation reduced the impact of this on the headline number. Non-food inflation was 1.9 per cent in January, compared with 1.7 per cent in December.

Morocco’s inflation rate is much lower than in almost every other country around the region because the government heavily subsidises diesel, petrol and cooking gas, removing one of the key causes of high inflation elsewhere.

Despite the subsidies, inflation nearly doubled during 2008 as consumers found themselves paying more for certain foods and fuel derivatives.