Press release No. 319 of 13 September 2017
WIESBADEN – Consumer prices in Germany were 1.8% higher in August 2017 than in August 2016. The inflation rate – measured by the consumer price index – thus increased slightly for the third consecutive month. Compared with July 2017, the consumer price index rose by 0.1% in August 2017. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) thus confirms its provisional overall results of 30 August 2017.
A major reason for the inflation rate rising again in August 2017 was the development of energy prices. In August 2017, energy prices increased by 2.3% year on year. In July 2017, the rate of energy price increase had been +0.9%. In August 2017, prices were up year on year especially for mineral oil products (+5.2%, of which heating oil: +10.4%; motor fuels: +3.9%) and electricity (+2.0%). Gas prices, in contrast, were down 2.9%. Charges for central and district heating fell slightly (–0.2%).
Food prices rose 3.0% from August 2016 to August 2017. In July 2017, the rate of food price increase had been +2.7% year on year. This means that the rise in food prices remained on a notably higher level than overall inflation in August 2017. In August 2017, prices were up on a year earlier especially for edible fats and oils (+28.1%), especially butter (+59.7%) was much more expensive. For all dairy products, too, consumers had to pay markedly more (+14.3%). Price increases were also recorded, among other things, for fish and fish products (+3.3%) and for meat and meat products (+2.6%). In contrast to that, prices of vegetables (total) went down year on year (–4.5%). Excluding energy and food prices, the inflation rate would have been +1.6% in August 2017.
Prices of goods (total) rose 2.0% from August 2016 to August 2017. Goods prices were markedly up not only for food and energy products but also, for example, for newspapers and periodicals (+4.8%), tobacco products (+4.6%) and pharmaceutical products (+2.7%).
Prices of services (total) rose by 1.6% in August 2017 on a year earlier, that is, the price increase was slightly smaller than for goods. A major factor contributing to the increase in service prices was the development of net rents exclusive of heating expenses (+1.7% on August 2016), as households spend a large part of their consumption expenditure on this item. Even larger price increases were recorded, for example, for maintenance and repair of vehicles (+3.5%), in-patient health services (+3.5%) and catering services (+2.4%). The prices of some services were down, especially for services of social facilities (–7.2%); this was due to the implementation of Act II on Strengthening Long-Term Care in January 2017. Slight year-on-year price decreases were also observed for telecommunication services (–0.8%) and for pre-primary and primary education services (–0.2%).
Change in August 2017 on July 2017
Compared with July 2017, the consumer price index rose slightly by 0.1% in August 2017. Prices of energy (total) were up 0.5% month on month. Here, prices rose both for heating oil (+1.9%) and motor fuels (+0.9%, including supergrade petrol: +0.7%; diesel fuel: +1.3%). More substantial price increases were observed for clothing (+3.4%), especially because the autumn/winter collection has started to arrive. Also, there was a notable 12.0% price increase for animal services due to the modification of the statutory schedule of veterinarians' fees.
Food prices (total) were down 0.2% in August 2017 on the previous month. Prices fell especially for vegetables (–2.2%, including potatoes: –7.5%; cucumbers: –12.8%). In contrast, prices of edible fats and oils were up again (+2.0%, including butter: +3.3%).
| Overall index / subindex | Weighting | Index 2010 = 100 | Change on the same period a year earlier | Change on the preceding month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in per mill | in per cent | |||
| Overall index | 1,000.00 | 109.5 | 1.8 | 0.1 |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 102.71 | 115.7 | 2.8 | –0.2 |
| Food | 90.52 | 115.9 | 3.0 | –0.2 |
| Meat | 20.76 | 115.9 | 2.6 | 0.2 |
| Fruit | 8.76 | 128.1 | 0.5 | 0.1 |
| Vegetables | 11.26 | 102.5 | –4.5 | –2.2 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.59 | 119.8 | 2.8 | 0.1 |
| Clothing and footwear | 44.93 | 105.9 | 2.7 | 2.5 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 317.29 | 109.6 | 1.6 | 0.1 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 209.93 | 109.9 | 1.7 | 0.1 |
| Household energy | 68.19 | 108.8 | 1.4 | 0.2 |
| Electricity | 26.21 | 128.1 | 2.0 | 0.1 |
| Gas | 14.46 | 103.3 | –2.9 | 0.1 |
| Heating oil | 11.11 | 81.9 | 10.4 | 1.9 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and so on | 49.78 | 104.0 | 0.5 | –0.2 |
| Health | 44.44 | 107.3 | 1.8 | 0.1 |
| Transport | 134.73 | 107.5 | 2.7 | 0.4 |
| Motor fuels | 38.37 | 94.0 | 3.9 | 0.9 |
| Supergrade petrol | 28.38 | 94.8 | 3.6 | 0.7 |
| Diesel fuel | 9.19 | 92.1 | 4.8 | 1.3 |
| Communication | 30.10 | 89.6 | –0.6 | 0.1 |
| Recreation and culture | 114.92 | 111.1 | 1.6 | –0.4 |
| Package holidays | 26.83 | 123.4 | 2.5 | –1.3 |
| Education | 8.80 | 95.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| Restaurants and hotels | 44.67 | 116.1 | 2.3 | 0.1 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 70.04 | 109.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding food and energy | 802.92 | 109.6 | 1.6 | 0.1 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 893.44 | 110.2 | 1.8 | 0.1 |
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 950.52 | 110.5 | 1.7 | 0.1 |
| Goods | 479.77 | 108.2 | 2.0 | 0.2 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 307.89 | 111.1 | 2.3 | 0.1 |
| Energy | 106.56 | 103.5 | 2.3 | 0.5 |
| Services | 520.23 | 110.7 | 1.6 | 0.0 |
| Overall index ________ Year / Month | Index 2010 = 100 | Change on the previous year | Change on the previous month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in % | ||||
| A = annual average –= no figures or magnitude zero | ||||
| 2015 A | 106.9 | 0.3 | − | |
| 2016 A | 107.4 | 0.5 | − | |
| 2016 | August | 107.6 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| September | 107.7 | 0.7 | 0.1 | |
| October | 107.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | |
| November | 108.0 | 0.8 | 0.1 | |
| December | 108.8 | 1.7 | 0.7 | |
| 2017 | January | 108.1 | 1.9 | 0.6 |
| February | 108.8 | 2.2 | 0.6 | |
| March | 109.0 | 1.6 | 0.2 | |
| April | 109.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | |
| May | 108.8 | 1.5 | –0.2 | |
| June | 109.0 | 1.6 | 0.2 | |
| July | 109.4 | 1.7 | 0.4 | |
| August | 109.5 | 1.8 | 0.1 | |
Harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, rose 1.8% in August 2017 on August 2016. Compared with July 2017, the index was up 0.2% in August 2017. This confirmed the HICP estimates of 30 August 2017.
More information on consumer price statistics is provided by Fachserie 17, Reihe 7.
Detailed data and long time series of consumer price statistics can also be found in the Genesis Online database in tables 61111-0004 and 61111-0006 (consumer price index) as well as in tables 61121-0002 and 61121-0004 (harmonised consumer price index).