Press release No. 403 of 14 November 2017
WIESBADEN – Consumer prices in Germany were 1.6% higher in October 2017 than in October 2016. The inflation rate, as measured by the consumer price index, was +1.8% in both September and August 2017. The consumer price index in October 2017 remained unchanged compared with September 2017. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) thus confirms its provisional overall results of 30 October 2017.
Energy prices in October 2017 were by 1.2% higher than a year earlier. In September 2017, the rate of energy price increase had been +2.7%. The upward effect of energy prices on the overall inflation rate diminished markedly. Prices of motor fuels and household energy rose by 1.2% each in October 2017 compared with the same month of the previous year. Among the household energy products, price increases were recorded for heating oil (+3.8%), electricity (+1.9%) and charges for central and district heating (+0.8%). Gas prices, in contrast, were down 1.7%. Excluding energy prices, the inflation rate in October 2017 would have been +1.6%, too.
Food prices in October 2017 rose 4.3% on October 2016 and had a marked upward effect on the overall inflation rate. The year-on-year increase in food prices accelerated continuously since July 2017 (July 2017: +2.7%; August 2017: +3.0%; September 2017: +3.6%). Prices were up on a year earlier in particular for edible fats and oils (+27.9%), especially butter (+54.0%) was much more expensive in October 2017. For all dairy products, too, consumers had to pay markedly more (+15.2%). Marked price rises were also recorded for fruit (+4.1%, including apples: +18.8%), fish and fish products (+3.0%), and meat and meat products (+2.6%). Only the prices of confectionery decreased slightly year on year (–0.2%). Excluding energy and food prices, the inflation rate would have been +1.2% in October 2017.
Prices of goods (total) rose 1.9% from October 2016 to October 2017. Goods prices were up not only for food and energy products but also, for example, for newspapers and periodicals (+5.2%), tobacco products (+4.6%) and pharmaceutical products (+2.6%).
Prices of services (total) rose by 1.2% in October 2017 on a year earlier, that is, the price increase was smaller than for goods. A major factor contributing to the increase in service prices was the development of net rents exclusive of heating expenses (+1.6% on October 2016), as households spend a large part of their consumption expenditure on this item. Even larger price increases were observed, for example, for catering services (+2.2%), maintenance and repair of vehicles (+3.3%) and in-patient health services (+3.5%). In contrast, the prices of some services were considerably down, for instance services of social facilities (–7.6%); this was due to the implementation of Act II on Strengthening Long-Term Care in January 2017. In addition, the prices of package holidays (–1.0%) and telecommunication services (–0.7%) decreased year on year.
Change in October 2017 on September 2017
The consumer price index in October 2017 remained unchanged compared with September 2017. In October 2017, there were seasonal price decreases especially for package holidays (–7.1%). In addition, energy prices decreased slightly month on month (–0.1%). Consumers paid 0.8% less for motor fuels. The prices of individual motor fuels showed in part diverging trends (for instance, supergrade petrol: –1.6%, but diesel fuel: +1.6%). Marked price increases were observed for heating oil (+2.2%).
Food prices (total) were up 0.8% in October 2017 compared with the previous month. Prices rose especially for vegetables (+2.9%) and fruit (+2.4%, including apples: +2.3%). Prices increased again for edible oils and fats (+1.7%, including butter: +2.8%) and dairy products (+0.9%, including sliced cheese: +3.6%; UHT milk: +1.0%). In contrast, prices were slightly down for confectionery (–0.7%) and fish and fish products (–0.2%).
| 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 | 109.6 | 1.6 | 0.0 |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 102.71 | 117.1 | 3.8 | 0.7 |
| Food | 90.52 | 117.5 | 4.3 | 0.8 |
| Meat | 20.76 | 116.8 | 2.6 | 0.2 |
| Fruit | 8.76 | 134.1 | 4.1 | 2.4 |
| Vegetables | 11.26 | 104.9 | 0.8 | 2.9 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.59 | 120.3 | 3.0 | 0.5 |
| Clothing and footwear | 44.93 | 112.3 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 317.29 | 110.0 | 1.5 | 0.2 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 209.93 | 110.2 | 1.6 | 0.1 |
| Household energy | 68.19 | 109.9 | 1.2 | 0.3 |
| Electricity | 26.21 | 128.1 | 1.9 | 0.0 |
| Gas | 14.46 | 103.5 | –1.7 | 0.0 |
| Heating oil | 11.11 | 87.8 | 3.8 | 2.2 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and so on | 49.78 | 104.3 | 0.5 | 0.1 |
| Health | 44.44 | 107.3 | 1.7 | 0.1 |
| Transport | 134.73 | 107.7 | 1.7 | –0.2 |
| Motor fuels | 38.37 | 95.2 | 1.2 | –0.8 |
| Supergrade petrol | 28.38 | 95.4 | 0.5 | –1.6 |
| Diesel fuel | 9.19 | 95.2 | 2.7 | 1.6 |
| Communication | 30.10 | 89.6 | –0.6 | –0.1 |
| Recreation and culture | 114.92 | 106.4 | 1.0 | –1.4 |
| Package holidays | 26.83 | 101.3 | –1.0 | –7.1 |
| Education | 8.80 | 96.2 | 1.7 | 0.2 |
| Restaurants and hotels | 44.67 | 116.3 | 2.2 | –0.2 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 70.04 | 109.1 | –0.7 | –0.6 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding food and energy | 802.92 | 109.3 | 1.2 | –0.2 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 893.44 | 110.2 | 1.6 | 0.0 |
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 950.52 | 110.4 | 1.5 | –0.1 |
| Goods | 479.77 | 109.5 | 1.9 | 0.3 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 307.89 | 112.1 | 2.4 | 0.4 |
| Energy | 106.56 | 104.6 | 1.2 | –0.1 |
| Services | 520.23 | 109.6 | 1.2 | –0.5 |
| 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 | 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 | |
| September | 109.6 | 1.8 | 0.1 | |
| October | 109.6 | 1.6 | 0.0 | |
Harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, rose by 1.5% in October 2017 on the October 2016 figure. Compared with September 2017, the index fell by 0.1% in October 2017. This confirmed the HICP estimates of 30 October 2017.
Information:
The regular revision of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) with the introduction of the base year 2015 originally planned for 2017/2018 has to be postponed by one year due to delays in necessary adjustments of the IT programs. Revised results will be published in spring 2019. Therefore, up to the reference month December 2018 the CPI will still be calculated with the base year 2010. For the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), the usual annual updating of the weights will take place.
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).