Press release No. 434 of 13 November 2019
Consumer price index, October 2019
+1.1% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+0.1% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
Harmonised index of consumer prices, October 2019
+0.9% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+0.1% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
WIESBADEN – Consumer prices in Germany were up 1.1% in October 2019 compared with October 2018. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that the inflation rate - as measured by the consumer price index - decreased again (September 2019: +1.2%). Compared with September 2019, the consumer prices increased by 0.1% in October 2019.
Energy product prices fell by 2.1% from October 2018 to October 2019. The decrease in energy price thus accelerated (September 2019: -1.1%). Especially the price development for mineral oil products had a downward effect on the inflation rate in October 2019. Prices were substantially down both for heating oil (-15.8%) and for motor fuels (-7.5%). In contrast, prices were markedly up on a year earlier for some energy products (for example, natural gas: +5.1%; electricity: +3.9%). Excluding energy prices, the inflation rate in October 2019 would have been +1.4%; excluding the prices of mineral oil products, it would have been as much as +1.6%.
The prices of food were up 1.1% in October 2019 compared with the same month a year earlier. Prices were higher year on year, among other things, for meat and meat products (+4.9%), fish, fish products and seafood (+3.3%) as well as bread and cereals (+2.6%). In contrast, the prices of edible fats and oils fell substantially (-11.6%). Consumers paid less than a year earlier also for vegetables (-2.8%).
The prices of goods (total) were 0.4% higher in October 2019 than in the same month a year earlier. Apart from the rather moderate increase of food prices (+1.1%), prices were up, among other things, for newspapers and periodicals (+5.1%) and tobacco products (+4.1%). Prices fell not only for mineral oil products (-9.1%) but also for information processing equipment (-7.1%), consumer electronics (-5.4%) and telephones (-5.1%).
Service prices rose much more strongly (+1.7%) than goods prices (+0.4%) from October 2018 to October 2019. The development of service prices thus had an upward effect on the inflation rate. A major factor contributing to the development of service prices was the increase in net rents exclusive of heating expenses (+1.4%), as households spend a large part of their consumption expenditure on this item. Larger price increases were observed, for example, for services of social facilities (+5.2%), maintenance and repair of vehicles (+5.0%), hairdresser services and other services for personal care (+3.0%) and for catering services in restaurants, cafés and the like (+2.8%). The prices of some services were down, among them telecommunication services (-0.5%).
Change in October 2019 on September 2019
Compared with September 2019, the consumer price index rose just slightly by 0.1% in October 2019. Month-on-month price increases were recorded, for instance, for footwear (+2.3%) and for clothing (+0.9%). The prices of energy as a whole went down slightly (-0.1%), especially heating oil prices decreased (-0.8%).
Food prices (total) fell 0.4% in October 2019 compared with the previous month. Vegetable prices, in particular, were down on a month earlier (-3.8%).
| 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 | 106.1 | 1.1 | 0.1 |
| Food and non-alcoholic-beverages | 96.85 | 107.1 | 0.9 | -0.4 |
| Food | 84.87 | 107.7 | 1.1 | -0.4 |
| Meat | 18.60 | 109.3 | 4.9 | 0.2 |
| Fruit | 8.88 | 109.2 | 2.3 | 0.5 |
| Vegetables | 11.08 | 104.7 | -2.8 | -3.8 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.77 | 111.8 | 2.5 | 0.3 |
| Clothing and footwear | 45.34 | 106.6 | 1.0 | 1.2 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 324.70 | 105.4 | 1.4 | 0.2 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 196.32 | 106.0 | 1.4 | 0.2 |
| Household energy | 68.82 | 102.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Electricity | 25.92 | 107.3 | 3.9 | 0.0 |
| Gas 1 | 13.53 | 96.5 | 5.1 | 0.4 |
| Heating oil 1 | 7.01 | 114.6 | -15.8 | -0.8 |
| Furniture, lighting equipment, appliances and other household equipment | 50.04 | 103.0 | 0.9 | 0.3 |
| Health | 46.13 | 104.7 | 1.0 | 0.1 |
| Transport | 129.05 | 106.5 | -0.6 | 0.0 |
| Motor fuels | 35.01 | 103.6 | -7.5 | -0.2 |
| Supergrade petrol | 25.66 | 101.9 | -7.6 | -0.6 |
| Diesel fuel | 8.64 | 108.9 | -7.6 | 0.8 |
| Communication | 26.72 | 95.8 | -0.4 | 0.0 |
| Recreation and culture | 113.36 | 106.9 | 0.6 | -0.5 |
| Package holidays | 26.62 | 116.5 | 1.5 | -2.0 |
| Education | 9.02 | 102.3 | -0.2 | 0.0 |
| Restaurant and accommodation services | 46.77 | 110.2 | 2.7 | 0.0 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 74.25 | 106.9 | 2.7 | 0.5 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding food and energy | 811.30 | 106.3 | 1.5 | 0.1 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 896.17 | 106.4 | 1.4 | 0.1 |
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 957.98 | 106.1 | 1.6 | 0.1 |
| Goods | 468.16 | 105.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 297.54 | 106.0 | 0.3 | -0.1 |
| Energy | 103.83 | 103.0 | -2.1 | -0.1 |
| Services | 531.84 | 106.9 | 1.7 | 0.0 |
Harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, was 0.9% higher in October 2019 than in October 2018. Compared with September 2019, the HICP increased by 0.1% in October 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).
