KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 -- Malaysian consumers, already weathering months of relentless price hikes, face a sobering warning: the worst may yet be coming.

According to the latest industry report from Retail Group Malaysia (RGM), a fresh wave of retail price increases is expected to hit this month.

This new surge arrives as the country grapples with an inflationary environment that has been steadily deteriorating since the start of the year. Inflation rose 1.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, only to jump further to 1.9 per cent in April alone.

The categories driving this spike mirror the daily struggle of the average household: insurance and financial services surged 4.9 per cent, personal care and miscellaneous services climbed 4....