In Italy there is a wide (and ongoing) debate on this topic, because there is a clear disconnect between official statistics from those years and widespread public perception (which, tbh, includes mine). Unfortunately very little is translated, but a couple of Italian studies on the phenomenon are at http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/inflazione-e-inflazione-... and http://www.mi.camcom.it/l-euro-tra-inflazione-percepita-e-po...

In short, some specific sectors did increase prices dramatically in those years, and probably were the ones felt the most by everyday consumers (food, restaurants, retail etc). I would personally add that Italian statistics on economic elements are historically lacking, due to widespread tax evasion and unreported activity, and suffer from the huge economic disconnect between North and South.