Press release No.332 / 2009-09-09

Consumer prices in August 2009: ±0.0% on August 2008

Price increase of 0.2% on July 2009

WIESBADEN – As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the consumer price index for Germany in August 2009 remained at the same level as in August 2008 (±0.0%). In July 2009, the inflation rate was −0.5% when measured by the change in the consumer price index. Compared to July 2009, the consumer price index rose 0.2%. Hence the estimate for August 2009 was confirmed.

The inflation rate is still significantly characterised by price fluctuations for liquid fuel and motor fuels (mineral oil products). Despite the price rises for mineral oil products observed in August 2009 on July 2009, such prices are sill much lower than last year’s record levels (−16.1%). The fact that food prices declined again is another major reason for the low inflation rate. In August, food prices were by 3.0% below the level of a year earlier; similar price decreases were last recorded in 2003 (January 2003: −3.2%). Not considering the price trends for energy and food, the inflation rate in August 2009 would have been 1.3%.

The prices of energy (household energy and motor fuels) fell 7.0% in August 2009 on August 2008. Substantial year-on-year price decreases were observed for liquid fuel (−32.5%) and motor fuels (−10.7%). Gas prices, too, were markedly down in August 2009 on a year earlier (−6.1%). An opposite price trend was recorded for electricity (+6.2%).

Food prices in August fell a total 3.0% on a year earlier. Marked year-on-year price decreases were observed especially for dairy products (−9.7%; including curd: −25.6%; fresh full-cream milk: −21.8%) as well as oils and fats (−10.9%; including butter: −19.4%; margarine: −4.3%), for fruit (−8.3%; including oranges: −14.9%, apples: −14.5%) and for vegetables (−7.4%; including pepper: −22.0%; potatoes: −18.3%, tomatoes: −11.4%). However, prices were up from August 2008 for fish (+3.5%).
Price increases worth mentioning were recorded for tobacco products (+5.2%; including cigarettes and tobacco: +5.3% each) and package holidays (+5.1%).

Change in August 2009 on July 2009
On the whole, a slight price increase (+0.2%) was observed in August 2009 compared to July 2009. Especially prices of liquid fuel (+9.3%) and motor fuels (+4.7%) were markedly up from the previous month.

Food prices in August 2009 decreased markedly on the previous month (−1.1%). Dairy product prices fell again (−0.4%; including UHT milk: −1.0%; yoghurt: −0.7%). The successive price decreases of the preceding months thus continued. What is typical during this season is seasonally price decreases for vegetables (−4.5%; including potatoes: −9.9%) and some fruits (especially grapes: −20.7%; pears: −16.3%; bananas: −8.8%). However, consumers had to pay more than a month earlier for clothing and footwear (an average +2.5%) as a result of the gradual change from summer to autumn/winter collections.

The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, declined 0.1% in August 2009 on August 2008. Hence a negative rate of price increase was observed for the second time since the beginning of the HICP compilation for Germany (last time in July 2009: −0.7%). Compared with July 2009, the index was up 0.3%. The HICP estimate of 27 August 2009 was thus slightly revised downwards.

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 August 2009	1,000.00	107.3	0.0	0.2
Food and non-alcoholic-beverages	103.55	109.5	–2.8	–0.9
Food	89.99	109.5	–3.0	–1.1
Milk, cheese and eggs	14.44	110.1	–8.9	–0.5
Oils and fats	2.55	110.0	–10.9	0.1
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco	38.99	112.7	3.6	0.4
tobacco	22.43	116.4	5.2	0.5
Clothing and footwear	48.88	101.0	1.4	2.5
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels	308.00	108.9	–0.2	0.2
Net rent exclusive of heating expenses	203.30	104.8	1.1	0.1
Household energy	59.82	123.6	–4.8	0.6
Electricity	24.61	126.7	6.2	0.1
Gas	12.85	123.6	–6.1	–1.0
Liquid fuel	9.21	105.1	–32.5	9.3
Furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house	55.87	104.6	1.9	0.1
Health	40.27	104.2	0.8	–0.1
Transport	131.90	109.9	–2.0	1.2
Motor fuels	35.37	109.2	–10.7	4.7
Supergrade petrol	19.29	110.0	–7.9	4.7
Diesel oil	8.15	104.9	–19.4	4.7
Communication	31.00	89.6	–1.6	–0.1
Recreation and culture	115.68	103.4	2.1	0.1
Package holidays	25.93	119.1	5.1	0.3
Education	7.40	131.2	–5.1	–1.4
Restaurants and hotels	43.99	110.8	1.7	–0.6
Miscellaneous goods and services	74.47	107.7	1.7	0.2
Overall index
Excluding liquid fuel and motor fuels	955.42	107.3	0.9	0.0
Excluding household energy	940.18	106.3	0.5	0.2
Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels)	904.81	106.2	1.0	0.0
Goods, total	493.00	107.6	–1.3	0.5
Non-durable consumer goods	305.11	112.3	–2.3	0.4
Consumer goods with a medium-term life	95.24	102.0	1.5	1.3
Durable consumer goods	92.65	97.8	0.1	0.1
Services	507.00	107.1	1.3	0.0

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
2007 Annual average		103.9	2.3	–
2008 Annual average		106.6	2.6	–
2008	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
	July	107.1	–0.5	0.0
	August	107.3	0.0	0.2

>>> Brief methodological description

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