Press release No.254 / 2009-07-09

Consumer prices in June 2009: +0.1% on June 2008

Price increase by 0.4% on May 2009

WIESBADEN – As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the consumer price index for Germany in June 2009 rose 0.1% on June 2008. The inflation rate thus remained at a low level; in May 2009 the rate of price increase was 0.0%. Compared with May 2009, consumer prices were up by 0.4% in June. The estimate for June 2009 was thus confirmed.

The low inflation rate is still characterised by particularly large price fluctuations for mineral oil products. Although the decline in prices has not continued for a few months now and marked month-on-month price increases were recorded in June 2009, the prices of mineral oil products are still far below last year’s record levels. Recent price rises for food and tobacco prevented a further decrease in the overall inflation rate and are the main reason for price stability compared with a year earlier.

On the whole, energy prices fell 7.9% in June 2009 on June 2008: Considerable year-on-year price decreases were observed mainly for mineral oil products (−21.7%; of which liquid fuel: −40.2% and motor fuels: −15.4%). However, among household energy, it is especially electricity prices (+6.9%) that were markedly up on a year earlier. Not considering the price trend for energy (household energy and motor fuels), the inflation rate in June 2009 would have been 1.1%.

Food prices in June 2009 were 0.9% below the previous year’s level, although they rose for the first time since January 2009. Considerable year-on-year price decreases were again observed especially for dairy products (−9.1%; including curd: −25.5%; cream: −19.6%; fresh full cream milk: −18.8%) as well as for oils and fats (−6.1%; including butter: −13.7%; olive oil: −5.9%). Marked year-on-year price decreases were also recorded for vegetables (−5.9%; including pepper: −18.9; cucumbers: −18.4%; potatoes: −15.0%). However, prices were up on June 2008 for fish (+3.5%; including fresh fish fillet: +4.1%) as well as for meat (+2.9%; including frying sausage: +5.4%; pork cutlet or escalope: +5.0%). What is striking among confectionery (+2.4%) is the price increase for honey (+20.1%).

Tobacco prices rose noticeably for consumers by 4.7% on a year earlier; in particular the announced price rises for cigarettes were implemented in June (cigarettes: +5.1%).

In a year-on-year comparison, prices of consumer durables remained unchanged (±0.0%). Among them, prices were considerably lower for information processing equipment (−10.0%) and consumer electronics (−10.8%) as well as photographic and cinematographic equipment (−7.2%).

Prices of services were 1.3% higher than a year earlier. The main item here is the trend of rents exclusive of incidental rental expenses (+1.1%). Price increases worth mentioning were also observed for package holidays (+3.9%), while prices were down, among other things, for education (−5.3%).

Change in June 2009 on May 2009
The marked increase in the overall price index in June 2009 compared with May 2009 (+0.4%) is mainly due to price rises for mineral oil products (+5.5%; of which liquid fuel: +8.9% and motor fuels: +4.6%) and tobacco (+4.5%). Price increases were also observed for food (+0.4%). Prices were up especially for fruit (+7.8%), which was caused by price rises for grapes (+45.0%). Prices of some dairy products, however, were down again (among other things, curd: −2.7%; UHT milk: −2.1%; fresh full-cream milk: −1.8%; cream: −1.6%). A consumer-friendly month-on-month trend was shown in June, among other things, by clothing and footwear (−1.2%).

The harmonised consumer price index (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, remained unchanged in June 2009 compared with June 2008 (±0.0%). Compared with the previous month, the index was up 0.4%. The HICP estimate of 26 June 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 June 2009	1,000.00	107.1	0.1	0.4
Food and non-alcoholic-beverages	103.55	111.7	–0.9	0.4
Food	89.99	112.1	–0.9	0.4
Milk, cheese and eggs	14.44	110.9	–7.7	–0.7
Oils and fats	2.55	110.3	–6.1	–0.1
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco	38.99	112.4	3.4	2.6
tobacco	22.43	115.8	4.7	4.5
Clothing and footwear	48.88	101.9	1.4	–1.2
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels	308.00	109.1	0.2	0.2
Net rent exclusive of heating expenses	203.30	104.6	1.1	0.1
Household energy	59.82	125.3	–3.4	0.7
Electricity	24.61	126.6	6.9	0.1
Gas	12.85	129.8	2.5	–0.5
Liquid fuel	9.21	102.0	–40.2	8.9
Furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house	55.87	104.5	2.3	0.4
Health	40.27	104.2	1.0	0.0
Transport	131.90	109.4	–3.5	1.2
Motor fuels	35.37	108.7	–15.4	4.6
Supergrade petrol	19.29	110.1	–11.6	5.2
Diesel oil	8.15	102.6	–26.7	3.2
Communication	31.00	89.8	–2.1	–0.1
Recreation and culture	115.68	100.0	1.7	–0.2
Education	7.40	133.1	–5.3	0.2
Restaurants and hotels	43.99	108.6	2.4	0.7
Miscellaneous goods and services	74.47	107.3	1.2	0.0
Overall index
Excluding liquid fuel and motor fuels	955.42	107.1	1.4	0.1
Excluding household energy	940.18	106.0	0.4	0.4
Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels)	904.81	105.8	1.1	0.1
Goods, total	493.00	108.3	–1.1	0.6
Non-durable consumer goods	305.11	113.3	–2.2	1.1
Consumer goods with a medium-term life	95.24	102.5	1.6	–0.7
Durable consumer goods	92.65	97.7	0.0	0.0
Services	507.00	106.0	1.3	0.2

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 June 2009		107.1	0.1	0.4
2007 annual average		103.9	2.3	–
2008 annual average		106.6	2.6	–
2008	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
	February	106.9	1.0	0.6
	March	106.8	0.5	–0.1
	April	106.8	0.7	0.0
	May	106.7	0.0	–0.1
	June	107.1	0.1	0.4

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