Press release No.422 / 2009-11-10

Consumer prices October 2009: ±0.0% on October 2008

Consumer-friendly price trend continues

WIESBADEN – As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the consumer price index for Germany in October 2009 remained at the same level as in October 2008 (±0.0%). The consumer-friendly price trend thus continued. In September 2009, the inflation rate, measured by the change of the consumer price index, was −0.3%. Compared to September 2009, the consumer price index was just slightly up by 0.1%. Hence the estimate for October 2009 was confirmed.

In October 2009, too, the price trend for energy (household energy and motor fuels) had a downward effect on the inflation rate: The prices of energy products were down a total 7.0% compared with October 2008. Not considering the price trend for energy, the inflation rate would have been +0.9%. In a year-on-year comparison, considerable price decreases were recorded especially for liquid fuel (−25.1%) and motor fuels (−6.1%; including Diesel fuel: −13.2%; supergrade petrol: −3.7%). However, those price decreases were markedly smaller than in the previous months. As regards the other household energies, decreases on a year earlier were also observed for gas prices (−17.9%) and charges for central and remote heating (−5.9%). An opposite price trend was again recorded for electricity (+5.8%).

Food prices in October 2009 were an average 3.4% below previous year’s level. The largest price decreases were observed for vegetables (−11.4%; including cucumbers: −35.8%; potatoes: −20.4%; pepper: −18.8%) and dairy products (−10.9%; including curd: −25.9%; fresh full-cream milk: −22.2%; UHT milk: −21.6%). Prices were down on a year earlier also for oils and fats (−5.1%; including margarine: −5.8%; butter: −4.8%). Price rises on October 2008 were however recorded for fish (+3.6%; including fish fingers: +9.1%; fresh fish fillet: +3.3%).

Consumer durables showed a moderate year-on-year price trend (+0.1%). Particularly consumer-friendly price trends were observed here for some products of consumer electronics (including TV sets: −24.3%) and of information processing equipment (including personal computers: −15.7%; notebooks: −14.7%) as well as for second-hand cars (−4.8%).

Year-on-year price increases worth mentioning were however recorded for tobacco products (+5.4%) and package holidays (+4.1%).

Change in October 2009 on September 2009
The small increase of the overall index (+0.1%) compared with September 2009 resulted from opposite price trends. For example, among energy products, price increases were observed for liquid fuel (+5.5%), whereas gas prices were down 3.3% in the short-term comparison. In the food sector, price decreases worth mentioning were recorded especially for vegetables (−1.2%, cucumbers: −24.1%, pepper: −11.1%; potatoes: −4.2%). Prices were up, however, for oils and fats (+5.7%), which was mainly due to the price rise for butter (+13.7%).

The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, declined 0.1% in October 2009 on October 2008. Compared with September 2009, the index was up 0.1%. The HICP estimate of 28 October 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.

>>> Brief methodological description

For further information please call our service telephone number,
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E-mail: verbraucherpreisindex@destatis.de

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 October 2009	1,000.00	107.0	0.0	0.1
Food and non-alcoholic-beverages	103.55	109.0	–3.1	–0.1
Food	89.99	109.0	–3.4	–0.2
Milk, cheese and eggs	14.44	109.5	–9.4	–0.4
Oils and fats	2.55	115.7	–5.1	5.7
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco	38.99	112.8	3.5	0.0
tobacco	22.43	116.6	5.4	0.1
Clothing and footwear	48.88	105.5	1.4	1.1
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels	308.00	108.7	–0.8	0.0
Net rent exclusive of heating expenses	203.30	104.9	1.0	0.1
Household energy	59.82	121.9	–7.4	–0.4
Electricity	24.61	126.8	5.8	0.0
Gas	12.85	119.0	–17.9	–3.3
Liquid fuel	9.21	106.0	–25.1	5.5
Furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house	55.87	104.6	1.6	–0.1
Health	40.27	104.2	0.9	0.0
Transport	131.90	109.1	–0.7	0.2
Motor fuels	35.37	106.6	–6.1	0.4
Supergrade petrol	19.29	106.6	–3.7	–0.3
Diesel oil	8.15	105.0	–13.2	2.5
Communication	31.00	89.5	–1.4	0.0
Recreation and culture	115.68	100.9	1.7	–0.4
Package holidays	25.93	106.4	4.1	–2.2
Education	7.40	131.0	–1.4	0.1
Restaurants and hotels	43.99	107.8	1.6	–0.3
Miscellaneous goods and services	74.47	108.4	2.2	0.6
Overall index
Excluding liquid fuel and motor fuels	955.42	107.0	0.6	0.0
Excluding household energy	940.18	106.1	0.7	0.1
Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels)	904.81	106.0	0.9	0.1
Goods, total	493.00	107.7	–1.3	0.1
Non-durable consumer goods	305.11	111.7	–2.4	0.0
Consumer goods with a medium-term life	95.24	104.5	1.3	0.6
Durable consumer goods	92.65	97.8	0.1	0.1
Services	507.00	106.4	1.4	0.1

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	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
	September	106.9	–0.3	–0.4
	October	107.0	0.0	+0.1

For more details please refer to the German version.

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