Press release No. 451 of 13 December 2017
WIESBADEN – Consumer prices in Germany were 1.8% higher in November 2017 than in November 2016. This means that the inflation rate as measured by the consumer price index was again slightly up, after standing at +1.6% in October 2017 (September and August 2017: +1.8% each). Compared with October 2017, the consumer price index increased by 0.3% in November 2017. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) thus confirms its provisional overall results of 29 November 2017.
Energy prices as a whole, which were markedly up in November 2017 compared with a year earlier (+3.7%), had an upward effect on the overall inflation rate. In October 2017, the rate of energy price increase had been +1.2%. Between November 2016 and November 2017, the prices of mineral oil products increased especially (+7.7%, of which heating oil: +15.1%; motor fuels: +5.9%). Year-on-year price increases were also recorded for electricity (+2.0), charges for central and district heating (+1.0%) and solid fuels (+0.9%). Only gas prices declined on a year earlier (–1.4%). Excluding energy prices, the inflation rate in November 2017 would have been slightly lower (+1.7%).
Food prices (total) also increased markedly at +3.2% in November 2017 compared with a year earlier. However, the increase in food prices slowed down (October 2017: +4.3%). A year-on-year increase in prices was recorded especially for edible fats and oils (+17.8%) and for dairy products (+11.1%) in November 2017. Consumers paid considerably more also for fruit (+4.1%), fish and fish products (+4.0%) and meat and meat products (+3.0%). However, the prices of vegetables declined year on year (–3.2%). Excluding energy and food prices, the inflation rate would have been +1.5% in November 2017.
Compared with the overall inflation rate, the prices of goods as a whole rose above average (+2.1%) between November 2016 and November 2017. Apart from energy products and food prices, the prices, for instance, of newspapers and periodicals (+4.9%), tobacco products (+4.6%) and pharmaceutical products (+2.6%) rose significantly too. However, price decreases were also recorded for some goods like, for instance, information processing equipment (–1.9%) and consumer electronics (–1.5%).
Prices of services (total) rose by 1.5% in November 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 (+1.7% on November 2016), as households spent a large part of their consumption expenditure on this item. Even larger price increases were observed, for example, for package holidays (+4.9%), maintenance and repair of vehicles (+3.7%) and in-patient health services (+3.5%). However, a marked year-on-year decline in prices was recorded for insurance services for transportation (–8.9%) and services of social facilities (–7.4%). The price development was consumer-friendly for telecommunications services too (–0.6%).
Change in November 2017 on October 2017
Compared with October 2017, the consumer price index increased by 0.3% in November 2017. Prices of energy (total) were considerably up 1.3% month on month. Consumers paid more especially for heating oil (+5.2%) and motor fuels (+2.6%, including supergrade petrol: +2.8%; diesel fuel: +1.9%).
Food prices (total) increased less markedly (+0.3%) than energy prices in November 2017 on the previous month. A month-on-month increase in prices was especially recorded for dairy products (+3.4%, including cream: +20.5%; fresh milk: +6.2%). However, the prices of edible fats and oils declined considerably (–6.0%); especially butter prices were down 9.7% in November 2017. Consumers paid less for vegetables too (–1.6%). A price decline was also recorded for clothing and footwear (–0.7%) and alcoholic beverages and tobacco (–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 | |||
| a Due to the changeover to other destinations, the rate of change on the previous month in reference month November cannot be interpreted as a pure price movement. | ||||
| Overall index | 1,000.00 | 109.9 | 1.8 | 0.3 |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 102.71 | 117.3 | 2.8 | 0.2 |
| Food | 90.52 | 117.8 | 3.2 | 0.3 |
| Meat | 20.76 | 117.3 | 3.0 | 0.4 |
| Fruit | 8.76 | 133.7 | 4.1 | –0.3 |
| Vegetables | 11.26 | 103.2 | –3.2 | –1.6 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.59 | 120.0 | 2.7 | –0.2 |
| Clothing and footwear | 44.93 | 111.5 | 0.3 | –0.7 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 317.29 | 110.3 | 1.8 | 0.3 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 209.93 | 110.4 | 1.7 | 0.2 |
| Household energy | 68.19 | 110.7 | 2.7 | 0.7 |
| Electricity | 26.21 | 128.2 | 2.0 | 0.1 |
| Gas | 14.46 | 103.6 | –1.4 | 0.1 |
| Heating oil | 11.11 | 92.4 | 15.1 | 5.2 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and so on | 49.78 | 104.5 | 0.7 | 0.2 |
| Health | 44.44 | 107.3 | 1.7 | 0.0 |
| Transport | 134.73 | 108.4 | 2.9 | 0.6 |
| Motor fuels | 38.37 | 97.7 | 5.9 | 2.6 |
| Supergrade petrol | 28.38 | 98.1 | 5.6 | 2.8 |
| Diesel fuel | 9.19 | 97.0 | 6.2 | 1.9 |
| Communication | 30.10 | 89.7 | –0.3 | 0.1 |
| Recreation and culture | 114.92 | 108.0 | 2.6 | 1.5 |
| Package holidays | 26.83 | 107.3 | 4.9 | 5.9a |
| Education | 8.80 | 96.2 | 1.7 | 0.0 |
| Restaurants and hotels | 44.67 | 116.0 | 1.9 | –0.3 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 70.04 | 109.0 | –0.8 | –0.1 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding food and energy | 802.92 | 109.6 | 1.5 | 0.3 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 893.44 | 110.4 | 1.7 | 0.2 |
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 950.52 | 110.6 | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| Goods | 479.77 | 109.9 | 2.1 | 0.4 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 307.89 | 112.7 | 2.8 | 0.5 |
| Energy | 106.56 | 106.0 | 3.7 | 1.3 |
| Services | 520.23 | 109.9 | 1.5 | 0.3 |
| 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 | 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 | |
| November | 109.9 | 1.8 | 0.3 | |
Harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, rose by 1.8% in November 2017 on November 2016. Compared with October 2017, the index increased by 0.3% in November 2017. This confirmed the HICP estimates of 29 November 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).