Press release No.048 / 2009-02-11

Consumer prices in January 2009: +0.9% on January 2008

Inflation rate at lowest level in nearly five years

WIESBADEN– As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the consumer price index for Germany rose 0.9% in January 2009 on January 2008. The price increase slowed down continuously since August 2008; in January 2009, the year-on-year rate of price increase was below one percent for the first time in nearly five years (February 2004: +0.8%).Compared with December 2008, the index was down by 0.5%. The estimate for January 2009 was thus confirmed.

The low inflation rate in January 2009 is mainly due to the favourable trend of mineral oil product prices, which were by 15.4% under the level of January 2008. Not considering mineral oil products, the inflation rate in January 2009 would have been markedly higher (+1.8%).

In January 2009, energy prices fell altogether by an average 0.8% on January 2008. While prices of mineral oil products fell strongly from a year earlier (of which liquid fuel: –18.5% and motor fuels: –14.4%), prices of household energy sources such as gas (+20.0%) as well as charges for central heating and remote heat (+16.0%) were up. Electricity prices, too, increased considerably on a year earlier (+5.3%).

Food prices in January 2009 were an average 1.1% above previous year’s level. However, opposite price trends were observed for the various foods: Price rises were recorded in particular for confectionery (+5.4%; including chocolate slabs: +13.1% and honey: +12.7%), meat and meat products (+4.5%; including roast pork: +5.9% and ground meat: +5.4%) as well as for bread and cereals (+3.4%). However, marked year-on-year price decreases were observed for many dairy products (curd: –22.7%; cream: –21.1% and fresh full-cream milk: –16.4%). Here, the particularly high negative rates of change are mainly due to previous year’s high price levels.

The favourable year-on-year price trend continued for consumer durables (–0.7%). Markedly lower prices were recorded, among other things, for information processing equipment (−14.8%; including notebooks: −22.1%) and consumer electronics (−11.8%; including TV sets: −24.0%). Noteworthy price decreases were also recorded for communication (−3.0%).

Changes in January 2009 on December 2008
The 0.5% decrease of the overall index in January 2009 compared with December 2008 is mainly due to seasonal factors: With the end of the Christmas vacation, prices were considerably down for package holidays (−18.7%), accommodation services (−13.9%) and air travels (–6.8%). In January 2009, price decreases on the previous month were also recorded for clothing and footwear (−2.4%; of which clothing: −2.8% and footwear: −0.5%). Some vegetables, however, became more expensive from the previous month (including leafy and stalky vegetables: +36.4%; cauliflower: +26.0% and cucumbers +24.5%), which was due to seasonal factors.

Noteworthy month-on-month price rises in January 2009 were recorded also for energy products (+2.3%): Especially the fall in mineral oil product prices did not continue; motor fuel prices rose 2.2% from December 2008 to January 2009, liquid fuel prices increased 4.6%. For electricity, too, consumers again had to pay more in January 2009 (+3.2%). Another striking trend at the beginning of the year was the rise in radio and TV license fees by 4.4% and 5.6%, respectively; last time they had increased was in April 2005.

The harmonised consumer price index (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, rose 0.9% in January 2009 on January 2008. Compared with the previous month, the index was down 0.6%. The HICP estimate of 28 January 2009 was thus confirmed.

Further information on consumer price statistics is provided by Fachserie 17, Reihe 7, which is available free of charge via the publication service of the Federal Statistical Office at Publications of the Federal Statistical Office. Detailed information and long time series on consumer price statistics can also be retrieved free of charge from the database Genesis Online.

Consumer price index for Germany
Overall index / product groups ________ Overall index / subindex	Weighting	Index 2005=100	Change on the same period a year earlier	Change on the preceding month
	in per mill	Index 2005=100	in per cent
Overall index in January 2009	1 000.00	106.3	0.9	–0.5
Food and non-alcoholic-beverages	103.55	112.7	1.0	0.4
Food	89.99	113.3	1.1	0.5
Milk, cheese and eggs	14.44	114.5	–6.5	–0.3
Oils and fats	2.55	117.8	–1.9	0.1
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco	38.99	109.1	1.8	0.1
Clothing and footwear	48.88	100.1	0.9	–2.4
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels	308.00	109.4	2.4	0.6
Net rent exclusive of heating expenses	203.30	104.1	1.1	0.1
Household energy	59.82	129.0	6.8	2.2
Electricity	24.61	123.7	5.3	3.2
Gas	12.85	147.8	20.0	1.2
Liquid fuel	9.21	104.2	–18.5	4.6
Furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house	55.87	103.1	1.3	–0.1
Health	40.27	103.4	0.9	–0.1
Transport	131.90	106.0	–2.8	0.7
Motor fuels	35.37	97.8	–14.4	2.2
Supergrade petrol	19.29	96.0	–14.7	3.0
Diesel oil	8.15	102.5	–13.4	–0.1
Communication	31.00	90.5	–3.0	–0.1
Recreation and culture	115.68	99.3	1.2	–4.6
Education	7.40	133.2	–4.1	0.2
Restaurants and hotels	43.99	106.9	3.1	–3.9
Miscellaneous goods and services	74.47	106.7	1.4	0.5
Overall index
Excluding liquid fuel and motor fuels	955.42	106.7	1.8	–0.6
Excluding household energy	940.18	104.9	0.6	–0.7
Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels)	904.81	105.2	1.3	–0.8
Goods, total	493.00	107.5	0.6	0.4
Non-durable consumer goods	305.11	112.4	0.7	1.0
Consumer goods with a medium-term life	95.24	101.4	0.9	–1.3
Durable consumer goods	92.65	97.4	–0.7	–0.2
Services	507.00	105.2	1.3	–1.3

Consumer price index for Germany
Overall index ________ Year / Month		Index 2005=100	Change on the same period a year earlier	Change on the preceding month
Overall index ________ Year / Month		Index 2005=100	in per cent
Overall index in January 2009		106.3	0.9	–0.5
2007 Annual average		103.9	2.3	–
2008 Annual average		106.6	2.6	–
2008	January	105.3	2.8	–0.3
	February	105.8	2.8	0.5
	March	106.3	3.1	0.5
	April	106.1	2.4	–0.2
	May	106.7	3.0	0.6
	June	107.0	3.3	0.3
	July	107.6	3.3	0.6
	August	107.3	3.1	–0.3
	September	107.2	2.9	–0.1
	October	107.0	2.4	–0.2
	November	106.5	1.4	–0.5
	December	106.8	1.1	0.3
2009	January	106.3	0.9	–0.5

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