Press release No.087 / 2009-03-10

Consumer prices in February 2009: +1.0% on February 2008

Price trend for mineral oil products having downward effect on inflation

WIESBADEN– As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the consumer price index for Germany rose 1.0% in February 2009 on February 2008. The inflation rate, which decreased continuously from August 2008 to January 2009 (January 2009: +0.9%), thus remained largely constant in February. Compared with January 2009, the index was up by 0.6% in February 2009. The estimate for February 2009 was thus confirmed.

In February 2009, the price trend for mineral oil products had a downward effect on the year-on-year rate of price increase, as has been the case since November 2008: Not considering mineral oil products, the inflation rate in February 2009 would have been markedly higher (1.9%). Compared with the previous year, the prices of both liquid fuel (–27.1%) and of motor fuels (–12.6%; including supergrade petrol: –11.7% and Diesel fuel: –15.3%) were down. Above-average year-on-year price rises, however, were recorded for gas (+18.9%), charges for central heating and remote heat (+15.5%) and electricity (+5.8%).

Food prices in February 2009 were an average 1.2% above previous year’s level. Opposite price trends were observed for the various foods. Price rises were recorded in particular for vegetables (+10.2%; including cucumbers: +63.3%; lettuce and iceberg salad: +55.1%). Consumers had to pay more than a year earlier also for meat and meat products (+4.5%; including frying sausage: +6.8%; roast pork: +6.2%) and for confectionery (+3.5%; including honey: +17.1%; chocolate slabs: +5.1%). The price increases enforced from 2007 especially for dairy products, however, could not be maintained. On a year earlier, in part considerable price decreases were recorded (for example, curd: –23.7%; cream: –21.9% and butter: –21.1%).

The price trend for consumer durables (–0.3%; including information processing equipment: –13.2% and consumer electronics: –11.6%) remained favourable from the consumers’ point of view.

For services, price increases worth mentioning were observed, among other things, for air travels (+8.3%), package holidays (+5.4%) and accommodation services (+4.7%).

Altogether, prices of services rose above average in a year-on-year comparison (+1.5%), while prices of goods increased less sharply (+0.7%).

Change in February 2009 on January 2009
The 0.6% increase of the overall price index in February 2009 compared with January 2009 is mainly due to seasonal price rises for package holidays (+10.0%) and accommodation services (+4.0%). Among seasonal goods, prices were up in February 2009, among other things, for: Clothing and footwear (+2.1%; of which clothing: +2.4% and footwear: +0.8%).

Food prices on average remained constant in a month-on-month comparison (± 0.0). Considerable price increases were recorded here especially for some vegetables (among others, cucumbers: +51.7%; leafy and stalky vegetables: +11.2%). However, a consumer-friendly price decrease was observed in February 2009 for butter (-4.9%). Since August 2008, butter prices decreased continuously. As prices fell again in February, butter prices now reached the level seen before the sharp price rise in summer 2007.

For energy products, different month-on-month price trends were observed: For example, motor fuel prices were up again (+1.8%), whereas liquid fuel prices were down on the previous month (–7.9%).

The harmonised consumer price index (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, rose 1.0% in February 2009 on February 2008. Compared with the previous month, the index was up 0.7%. The HICP estimate of 27 February 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 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 February 2009	1 000.00	106.9	1.0	0.6
Food and non-alcoholic-beverages	103.55	112.8	1.0	0.1
Food	89.99	113.3	1.2	0.0
Milk, cheese and eggs	14.44	114.4	–7.5	–0.1
Oils and fats	2.55	114.1	–5.0	–3.1
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco	38.99	109.3	1.6	0.2
Clothing and footwear	48.88	102.2	1.4	2.1
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels	308.00	109.4	2.1	0.0
Net rent exclusive of heating expenses	203.30	104.3	1.2	0.2
Household energy	59.82	127.9	5.1	–0.9
Electricity	24.61	124.6	5.8	0.7
Gas	12.85	146.7	18.9	–0.7
Liquid fuel	9.21	96.0	–27.1	–7.9
Furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house	55.87	103.6	1.6	0.5
Health	40.27	103.5	1.1	0.1
Transport	131.90	106.7	–2.0	0.7
Motor fuels	35.37	99.6	–12.6	1.8
Supergrade petrol	19.29	99.0	–11.7	3.1
Diesel oil	8.15	100.3	–15.3	–2.1
Communication	31.00	90.2	–2.9	–0.3
Recreation and culture	115.68	101.7	1.8	2.4
Education	7.40	133.4	–4.6	0.2
Restaurants and hotels	43.99	108.2	2.9	1.2
Miscellaneous goods and services	74.47	106.8	1.2	0.1
Overall index
Excluding liquid fuel and motor fuels	955.42	107.3	1.9	0.6
Excluding household energy	940.18	105.6	0.8	0.7
Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels)	904.81	105.8	1.3	0.6
Goods, total	493.00	107.9	0.7	0.4
Non-durable consumer goods	305.11	112.7	0.7	0.3
Consumer goods with a medium-term life	95.24	102.6	1.4	1.2
Durable consumer goods	92.65	97.7	–0.3	0.3
Services	507.00	106.0	1.5	0.8

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 February 2009		106.9	1.0	0.6
2007 Annual average		103.9	2.3	–
2008 Annual average		106.6	2.6	–
2008	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
2009	February	106.9	1.0	0.6

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