Press release No. 171 of 16 May 2018
Consumer price index, April 2018
- +1.6% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
- 0.0% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
Harmonised index of consumer prices, April 2018
- +1.4% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
- –0.1% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
WIESBADEN – Consumer prices in Germany rose by 1.6% in April 2018 compared with April 2017. In March 2018, the inflation rate as measured by the consumer price index was +1.6%, too. The consumer price index remained unchanged in April 2018 on March 2018. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) thus confirms its provisional overall results of 30 April 2018.
Compared with April 2017, the prices of energy products were up 1.3% in April 2018. The rise in energy prices was thus smaller than the overall price increase. In the preceding two months, the increase in energy prices had been much smaller (March 2018: +0.5%; February 2018: +0.1%). From April 2017 to April 2018, price rises were recorded especially for heating oil (+8.0%). The prices of electricity (+1.6%), motor fuels (+0.6%) and charges for central and district heating (+0.6%) were also up on a year earlier. In contrast, price decreases were recorded in the same period for solid fuels (–1.9%) and gas (–1.3%). Excluding energy prices, the inflation rate in April 2018 would have been +1.6% as well.
Food prices rose above average (+3.4%) from April 2017 to April 2018. The year-on-year price increase thus accelerated in April 2018 (March 2018: +2.9%). Prices were up on a year earlier especially for edible fats and oils (+15.4%). This increase was caused mainly by rising butter prices (+30.2% on April 2017). Consumers had to pay more for all dairy products and eggs (+8.9%). Fruit prices were markedly up, too (+8.6%). Year-on-year price increases were also recorded, among other things, for fish and fish products (+2.5%) and for meat and meat products (+2.4%), whereas prices were notably down for vegetables (–4.5%). Excluding energy and food prices, the inflation rate would have been just +1.4% in April 2018.
The prices of goods (total) in April 2018 were +1.6% higher than a year earlier. Apart from increases in energy (+1.3%) and food prices (+3.4%), prices were markedly up especially for newspapers and periodicals (+4.8%), beer (+4.7%) and tobacco products (+4.4%). Prices were however down for consumer electronics (–3.8%) and information processing equipment (–3.0%).
The prices of services (+1.5%) rose almost to the same extent as prices of goods in the period from April 2017 to April 2018. A major factor contributing to the increase in service prices was the development of net rents exclusive of heating expenses (+1.6% on April 2017), as households spend a large part of their consumption expenditure on this item. Slightly larger year-on-year price increases were observed, for example, for maintenance and repair of vehicles (+3.2%) and catering services in restaurants, cafes and the like (+2.2%). Consumers enjoyed lower prices for telecommunications services (–0.7%) and package holidays (–1.1%), among other things.
Change in April 2018 on March 2018
The consumer price index remained unchanged in April 2018 compared with March 2018. In a month-on-month comparison, energy prices rose 1.7%; consumers had to pay more especially for heating oil (+5.4%) and motor fuels (+3.3%, including supergrade petrol: +3.6%; diesel fuel: +2.6%). The prices of all other energy products remained nearly unchanged (for example, electricity: +0.2%; gas: –0.1%). Tobacco product prices, too, were markedly up on the previous month (+2.0%).
Food prices rose just slightly (+0.1%) in April 2018 month on month. Specifically, there were higher prices of fruit (+0.6%) and confectionery (+0.6%), for instance, in contrast to lower prices of vegetables (–0.5%) and dairy products (–0.5%).
The price increase recorded in April 2018 was cushioned by some falling prices such as of dental services (–1.1%), gardening products and consumer goods (–0.9%) and telephones (–0.8%).
| Overall index ________ Year / Month | Index 2010 = 100 | Change on the same period a year earlier | Change on the previous month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in per cent | ||||
| A = annual average –= no figures or magnitude zero | ||||
| 2016 A | 107.4 | 0.5 | − | |
| 2017 A | 109.3 | 1.8 | − | |
| 2017 | 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 | |
| December | 110.6 | 1.7 | 0.6 | |
| 2018 | January | 109.8 | 1.6 | –0.7 |
| February | 110.3 | 1.4 | 0.5 | |
| March | 110.7 | 1.6 | 0.4 | |
| April | 110.7 | 1.6 | 0.0 | |
| 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 April cannot be interpreted as a pure price movement. | ||||
| Overall index | 1,000.00 | 110.7 | 1.6 | 0.0 |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 102.71 | 119.4 | 3.3 | 0.1 |
| Food | 90.52 | 119.8 | 3.4 | 0.1 |
| Meat | 20.76 | 117.3 | 2.4 | 0.0 |
| Fruit | 8.76 | 139.4 | 8.6 | 0.6 |
| Vegetables | 11.26 | 109.2 | –4.5 | –0.5 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.59 | 122.8 | 4.1 | 1.4 |
| Clothing and footwear | 44.93 | 111.6 | –0.1 | 0.6 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 317.29 | 111.1 | 1.5 | 0.3 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 209.93 | 111.2 | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| Household energy | 68.19 | 111.7 | 1.6 | 0.8 |
| Electricity | 26.21 | 129.3 | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| Gas | 14.46 | 102.5 | –1.3 | –0.1 |
| Heating oil | 11.11 | 97.1 | 8.0 | 5.4 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and so on | 49.78 | 104.9 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| Health | 44.44 | 108.2 | 1.2 | 0.2 |
| Transport | 134.73 | 109.5 | 1.5 | 0.9 |
| Motor fuels | 38.37 | 98.4 | 0.6 | 3.3 |
| Supergrade petrol | 28.38 | 98.3 | –0.2 | 3.6 |
| Diesel fuel | 9.19 | 99.2 | 3.2 | 2.6 |
| Communication | 30.10 | 89.4 | –0.4 | –0.1 |
| Recreation and culture | 114.92 | 106.0 | 0.6 | –3.1 |
| Package holidays | 26.83 | 98.2 | –1.1 | –12.9 a |
| Education | 8.80 | 98.1 | 3.0 | 0.2 |
| Restaurants and hotels | 44.67 | 117.4 | 2.3 | 0.2 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 70.04 | 110.4 | 1.0 | 0.1 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding food and energy | 802.92 | 110.1 | 1.4 | –0.3 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 893.44 | 111.1 | 1.6 | –0.2 |
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 950.52 | 111.3 | 1.6 | –0.2 |
| Goods | 479.77 | 110.9 | 1.6 | 0.5 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 307.89 | 114.3 | 2.4 | 0.8 |
| Energy | 106.56 | 107.0 | 1.3 | 1.7 |
| Services | 520.23 | 110.4 | 1.5 | –0.6 |
Harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, rose 1.4% in April 2018 on April 2017. The index fell 0.1% in April 2018 on March 2018. This confirmed the HICP estimates of 30 April 2018.
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).
