Press release No. 019 of 16 January 2020
Consumer price index, December and year 2019
+1.5% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+0.5% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
+1.4% on an annual average in 2019 compared with 2018 (provisional result confirmed)
Harmonised index of consumer prices, December and year 2019
+1.5% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+0.6% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
+1.4% on an annual average in 2019 compared with 2018 (provisional result confirmed)
WIESBADEN – Consumer prices in Germany rose by 1.4% in 2019 on an annual average basis compared with 2018. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that the year-on-year rate of price increase was lower in 2019 than in the previous year (2018: +1.8%). In December 2019, the inflation rate as measured by the consumer price index was higher than in the previous months, reaching +1.5%.
Change in 2019 on 2018
The prices of energy products were up 1.4% in 2019 year on year, following a 4.6% rise in 2018. The small rise in energy prices recorded for 2019 was mainly due to lower mineral oil product prices (-1.8%; of which heating oil: -2.5%; motor fuels: -1.6%). Nevertheless, the prices of some energy products went up considerably (for instance natural gas: +3.9%; electricity: +3.4%). Excluding energy prices, the year-on-year rate of price increase in 2019 would have been +1.4% as well.
Food prices also rose only slightly in 2019 compared with 2018 (+1.4%). However, there were some contrary price trends for individual products: marked price increases were recorded for vegetables (+6.3%), meat and meat products (+3.1%). In contrast, consumers paid lower prices for edible fats and oils (-6.0%) and fruit (-3.3%).
The prices of goods (total) increased by 1.3% in 2019 on 2018. The highest price increases were shown for non-durable consumer goods (+1.5%). Apart from food and energy prices (+1.4% each), higher prices were recorded especially for tobacco products (+3.7%) and printed matter (+3.4%). The prices of durable consumer goods rose by only 0.7% over the same period. Prices were even markedly lower for telephones (-6.8%) and information processing equipment (-5.6%).
Compared with goods, the prices of services (total) increased somewhat more in 2019 from 2018 on an annual average basis (+1.5%; including net rents exclusive of heating expenses: +1.4%). In addition, notably higher prices had to be paid for the services of social facilities (+5.0%) and the maintenance and repair of vehicles (+4.5%) than in 2018.
Change in December 2019 on December 2018
Consumer prices as a whole were up 1.5% in December 2019 compared with December 2018. Hence the inflation rate increased at the end of the year (November and October 2019: +1.1% each).
The higher inflation rate as compared with the previous months was mainly attributable to the development of energy prices, which in December 2019 were only 0.1% lower year on year (November 2019: -3.7% compared with November 2018). From December 2018 to December 2019, a price decline was recorded especially for heating oil (-6.2%) and motor fuels (-4.5%). By contrast, the prices of some energy products increased markedly, for example those of natural gas (+5.2%) and electricity (+4.1%). Excluding energy prices, the rate of inflation would have been 1.8% in December 2019.
Food prices rose by 2.1% between December 2018 and December 2019. Markedly higher prices were recorded for meat and meat products (+5.5%).
The year-on-year increase in the prices of goods (total) in December 2019 was below average (+1.2%), mainly as a result of the development of energy product prices. Apart from increased food prices, higher prices were recorded for tobacco products (+4.2%) and printed matter (+4.1%) in particular.
The prices of services (total) were up 1.8% over the same period. Among services, net rents exclusive of heating expenses were up 1.5%. The prices of some services increased even more substantially (for example services of social facilities: +5.2%; maintenance and repair of vehicles: +4.8%).
Change in December 2019 on November 2019
Compared with November 2019, the consumer price index rose by 0.5% in December 2019. The increase was largely attributable to the seasonally higher prices of package holidays (+21.1%).
| Overall index / subindex | Weighting | 2019 A | December 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Change on 2018 A | Change on the same period a year earlier | Change on the preceding month | ||
| in per mill | in per cent | |||
A = annual average | ||||
| Overall index | 1,000.00 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 0.5 |
| Food and non-alcoholic-beverages | 96.85 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 0.5 |
| Food | 84.87 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 0.6 |
| Meat and meat products | 18.60 | 3.1 | 5.5 | 0.9 |
| Fruit | 8.88 | -3.3 | 3.8 | 1.1 |
| Vegetables | 11.08 | 6.3 | 0.2 | 2.4 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.77 | 2.5 | 2.6 | -0.3 |
| Clothing and footwear | 45.34 | 1.4 | 2.4 | -1.0 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 324.70 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 0.1 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 196.32 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 0.2 |
| Household energy | 68.82 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 0.1 |
| Electricity | 25.92 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 0.2 |
| Gas 1 | 13.53 | 3.9 | 5.2 | 0.2 |
| Heating oil 1 | 7.01 | -2.5 | -6.2 | 0.1 |
| Furniture, lighting equipment, appliances and other household equipment | 50.04 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.2 |
| Health | 46.13 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.0 |
| Transport | 129.05 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.3 |
| Motor fuels | 35.01 | -1.6 | -4.5 | -0.5 |
| Supergrade petrol | 25.66 | -1.6 | -4.3 | -0.7 |
| Diesel fuel | 8.64 | -1.6 | -5.6 | -0.3 |
| Communication | 26.72 | -0.7 | -0.5 | 0.0 |
| Recreation and culture | 113.36 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 4.2 |
| Package holidays | 26.62 | 0.4 | 3.6 | 21.1 |
| Education | 9.02 | -0.3 | -0.3 | -0.1 |
| Restaurant and accommodation services | 46.77 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 0.1 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 74.25 | 2.2 | 2.6 | -0.1 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding food and energy | 811.30 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 0.6 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 896.17 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 0.6 |
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 957.98 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 0.6 |
| Goods | 468.16 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.0 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 297.54 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.1 |
| Energy | 103.83 | 1.4 | -0.1 | -0.1 |
| Services | 531.84 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 0.9 |
Harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, rose by 1.4% in 2019 in an annual comparison with 2018. In December 2019, the HICP was 1.5% above the level of December 2018. Compared with November 2019, the index rose by 0.6% in December 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).
