Press release No. 181 of 14 May 2019
Consumer price index, April 2019:
+2.0% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+1.0% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
Harmonised index of consumer prices, April 2019:
+2.1% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+1.0% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
WIESBADEN – Consumer prices in Germany rose by 2.0% in April 2019 compared with April 2018. The inflation rate - as measured by the consumer price index - was considerably higher year on year than in March 2019 (+1.3%). Compared with March 2019, the consumer price index increased by 1.0% in April 2019.
The prices of energy products in April 2019 were up 4.6% year on year, which had an upward effect on the overall inflation rate. The prices of heating oil increased by 9.4% and of motor fuels by 5.4% between April 2018 and April 2019. Marked price increases were also recorded for district heating (+5.3%), natural gas (+3.2%) and electricity (+3.0%). Excluding energy prices, the rate of inflation would have been +1.7% in April 2019.
In addition, the increase in package holiday prices (+11.2%) had a major effect on the inflation rate in April 2019. It was mainly due to a calendar effect caused by Easter falling late this year compared with a year earlier. Consumers paid markedly more than a year earlier also for long-distance bus journeys (+13.6%), air tickets (+6.1%) and rail tickets (+3.4%).
Food prices rose below average (+0.8%) from April 2018 to April 2019. Vegetable prices increased substantially in April 2019 year on year (+9.7%). Price rises were also recorded, for instance, for fish and fish products (+2.6%) and for bread and cereals (+2.3%). In contrast, fruit prices declined substantially (-8.4%). The prices of edible fats and oils
(-1.9%), dairy products and eggs (-1.3%) and also sugar, jam, honey and other confectionery (-1.0%) declined year on year, too.
The prices of goods as a whole increased by 1.8% between April 2018 and April 2019. Apart from considerable increases in energy product prices (+4.6%), newspapers and periodicals (+4.8%) and tobacco products (+3.6%) also became more expensive. However, the prices of some goods declined considerably (for instance consumer electronics: -6.8%; telephones: -6.7%).
Compared to goods, the prices of services (total) were up above average in April 2019 year on year (+2.1%). This was mainly attributable to increases in travel service prices. In addition, price increases were observed for services of social facilities (+5.0%), maintenance and repair of vehicles (+4.3%) and catering services in restaurants, cafes and the like (+2.6%). A major factor contributing to the development of service prices was also the increase in net rents exclusive of heating expenses (+1.4%), as households spend a large part of their consumption expenditure on this item.
Change in April 2019 on March 2019
Compared with March 2019, the consumer price index increased substantially by 1.0% in April 2019. This was mainly due to price rises for package holidays (+15.9%). In April 2019, passengers paid also markedly more for long-distance bus journeys (+14.8%), air tickets (+3.6%) and rail tickets (+3.4%) compared with a month earlier. Motor fuel prices, too, were up in April 2019 (+4.9%). The prices of energy (total) increased by 2.1% month on month.
| Overall index / subindex | Weighting | Index 2015 = 100 | Change on the same period a year earlier | Change on the preceding month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in per mill | in per cent | |||
| 1 Results do not include charges. | ||||
| Overall index | 1,000.00 | 105.2 | 2.0 | 1.0 |
| Food and non-alcoholic-beverages | 96.85 | 106.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Food | 84.87 | 107.2 | 0.8 | 0.1 |
| Meat | 18.60 | 105.4 | 1.2 | 0.2 |
| Fruit | 8.88 | 103.3 | -8.4 | -0.6 |
| Vegetables | 11.08 | 112.6 | 9.7 | 0.9 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.77 | 110.5 | 2.5 | 0.7 |
| Clothing and footwear | 45.34 | 105.3 | 1.1 | 2.4 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 324.70 | 104.7 | 2.1 | 0.3 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 196.32 | 105.3 | 1.4 | 0.2 |
| Household energy | 68.82 | 102.4 | 4.3 | 0.5 |
| Electricity | 25.92 | 106.5 | 3.0 | 0.4 |
| Gas1 | 13.53 | 95.5 | 3.2 | 0.5 |
| Heating oil1 | 7.01 | 117.6 | 9.4 | 1.6 |
| Furniture, lighting equipment, appliances and other household equipment | 50.04 | 102.5 | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Health | 46.13 | 104.5 | 1.3 | 0.1 |
| Transport | 129.05 | 106.9 | 3.3 | 1.7 |
| Motor fuels | 35.01 | 106.2 | 5.4 | 4.9 |
| Supergrade petrol | 25.66 | 105.2 | 5.3 | 6.7 |
| Diesel fuel | 8.64 | 109.6 | 5.7 | 0.8 |
| Communication | 26.72 | 96.1 | -0.6 | -0.1 |
| Recreation and culture | 113.36 | 103.6 | 3.3 | 3.5 |
| Package holidays | 26.62 | 102.2 | 11.2 | 15.9 |
| Education | 9.02 | 104.8 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| Restaurant and accommodation services | 46.77 | 108.8 | 2.5 | 0.6 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 74.25 | 105.3 | 1.7 | 0.3 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding food and energy | 811.30 | 105.2 | 1.8 | 0.9 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 896.17 | 105.4 | 1.7 | 0.8 |
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 957.98 | 105.1 | 1.8 | 0.8 |
| Goods | 468.16 | 104.8 | 1.8 | 0.8 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 297.54 | 105.8 | 2.4 | 0.9 |
| Energy | 103.83 | 103.7 | 4.6 | 2.1 |
| Services | 531.84 | 105.5 | 2.1 | 1.0 |
Harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, rose by 2.1% in April 2019 on April 2018. Compared with March 2019, the index increased markedly by 1.0% in April 2019.
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).
