Press Inflation rate at +10.4% in October 2022

New record high mainly due to rising energy and food prices

Press release No. 472 of 11 November 2022

Consumer price index, October 2022
+10.4% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+0.9% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)

Harmonised index of consumer prices, October 2022
+11.6% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+1.1% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)

WIESBADEN −The inflation rate in Germany, measured as the year-on-year change in the consumer price index (CPI), stood at +10.4% in October 2022. The inflation rate thus rose again, following a 10.0% increase in September 2022. “At 10.4%, the inflation rate has reached an all-time high since German reunification,” says Dr. Georg Thiel, President of the Federal Statistical Office. He states that “enormous price rises for energy products still are the main reason for the high inflation. But we observe more and more price increases also for many other goods and services. What has become particular notable for households is rising food prices. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that consumer prices in October 2022 were up 0.9% on September 2022.

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Special effects caused by the situation of war and crisis continued to accelerate the price increase

In addition to the rising prices of all energy products due to the situation of war and crisis, delivery bottlenecks and significant price increases at upstream stages in the economic process have an impact on the inflation rate. The prices of other goods and services also went up as a consequence, among them again many food products.

Also, two temporary measures of the second relief package ended in September 2022, that is, the 9-euro ticket and the fuel discount. This had an accelerating effect on overall price rises already last month, and the inflation rate jumped to 10.0%. The first measures of the third relief package have now been implemented. For example, the turnover tax on natural gas supply and district heating was reduced from 19% to 7% in October 2022. This had a downward effect on energy product price rises.

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Prices of energy products up 43.0% year on year

Energy product prices were 43.0% higher in October 2022 than in the same month a year earlier (September 2022: +43.9%), despite the relief measures. There was a particularly large price increase for household energy (+55.0%). Natural gas prices more than doubled (+109.8%) and district heating prices rose by +35.6%. The reduction of turnover tax on natural gas and district heating from 19% to 7% from the third relief package was more than offset by the most recent increases in natural gas and district heating prices and could only slow these price rises. Heating with other energy sources became more expensive, too. The prices of firewood, wood pellets and other solid fuels were up 108.1%, and prices of heating oil 82.8% on a year earlier. Electricity prices rose by 26.0%.Consumers had to pay markedly more not only for household energy but also for motor fuels (+22.3%). The high prices of energy products in general are due, in particular, to the large increases of international purchase prices.In addition, the increase in the CO2 charge (from 25 to 30 euros per tonne), which became effective at the beginning of the year, continued to have an impact on energy product prices.

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20.3% increase in food prices year on year

Food prices rose 20.3% in October 2022 compared with the same month a year earlier, which means that this price increase was almost twice the overall inflation rate. Overall, the food price increase has accelerated gradually since the beginning of the year (September 2022: +18.7%). Higher prices were seen in all food groups also in October 2022. Substantial price rises were recorded for edible fats and oils (+49.7%), and marked increases were observed also for dairy products and eggs (+28.9%), vegetables (+23.1%) as well as bread and cereals (+19.8%).

Inflation rate excluding energy and food at +5.0%

Excluding energy prices, the inflation rate stood at +6.5% in October 2022. The extent to which food prices currently affect the overall rate of price increase is shown by the inflation rate when energy and food are excluded. It was much lower (+5.0%), not even half the overall inflation rate.

Prices of goods up 17.8% on October 2021

The prices of goods (total) were up 17.8% in October 2022 on the same month of the previous year. The prices of non-durable consumer goods, which include also food and energy, increased notably by 23.8%. The prices of consumer durables rose by 6.7% (including furniture and lighting equipment: +9.8%; vehicles: +9.0%).

Service prices up by only 4.0% compared with a year earlier

The prices of services (total) were up 4.0% in October 2022 on the same month of the previous year. Net rents exclusive of heating expenses, which have much impact as they account for a large part of household final consumption expenditure, rose by 1.8%. Larger price increases were observed for the maintenance and repair of dwellings (+14.8%), package holidays (+12.3%) and for catering services in restaurants, cafés and the like (+8.8%). In addition, the price reductions in public regional and short-distance passenger transport ended already in September 2022 as the 9-euro ticket was no longer available. The prices of rail tickets in short-distance transport (+2.5%) and combined tickets for rail, bus and the like (+2.0%) were up year on year in October 2022.Prices fell for just a few services, for instance, telecommunications (-1.4%) and services of social facilities (-0.7%).

Energy prices were up 3.4% and food prices 1.3% month on month

Compared with September 2022, the consumer price index was up by 0.9% in October 2022. The prices of energy (total) rose 3.4%. Household energy prices increased by 5.3% and prices were also up for natural gas (+9.2%) and district heating (+2.3%) despite the reduction of turnover tax. In contrast, the prices of motor fuels fell slightly (-0.8%), although they remained at a high level. Contrary price developments were observed for the individual motor fuel types. Supergrade petrol prices fell by 1.6%, whereas diesel fuel prices rose by 0.9% month on month. In addition, households paid more for food again (+1.3%, including vegetables: +5.3%; sugar, jam, honey and other confectionery: +2.4%). There were also seasonal price fluctuations in October 2022. Higher prices of footwear (+3.4%) and clothing (+2.3%) were contrasted by lower prices of package holidays (-3.0%).

Methodological notes:

The third relief package has been adopted by the Federal Government and again contains measures aimed at containing the increase in energy prices. The reduction of the turnover tax on gas and district heating from 19% to 7% became effective in October 2022. The concrete shaping of further relief measures is still subject to discussion, especially the planned payment of the gas and heating invoice in December 2022 and the planned temporary gas and heating price freeze in early 2023. The special effects caused by the 9-euro ticket and the fuel discount from the second relief package ended at the end of August 2022. The abolishment of the EEG surcharge as of July 2022 is still reflected in the index.

The national consumer price index (CPI) and the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) differ in coverage and methodology. In contrast to the HICP, the CPI includes also household expenditure on owner-occupied housing, games of chance and broadcasting fees. In addition, the HICP product weights are updated annually. As the weight of housing is much smaller in the HICP basket, price increases in other product groups have a larger impact on the HICP than on the CPI. These differences (coverage, methodology and weighting) explain the in part considerable differences between the CPI and the HICP for Germany.

Explanatory notes and a methodological paper which discusses this issue are provided on the website of the Federal Statistical Office.

Inflation Calculator informs about personal rate of inflation:

Consumers can use the Personal Inflation Calculator of the Federal Statistical Office to adapt their monthly consumption expenditure on individual product groups according to their own consumption patterns and to calculate their personal inflation rate. In addition, the Price Kaleidoscope gives an overview of the price trend and the weights of various products.

 

Consumer price index for Germany October 2022
Overall index / subindexWeighting

Index

2015=100

Change on
the same
period a
year earlier
Change on
the preceding
month
in per millin per cent
1: Results do not include operating costs (such as hire of meters, reading of meters, standing charges etc.).
Overall index1,000.00122.210.40.9
Food and non-alcoholic-beverages96.85135.019.21.3
Food84.87137.120.31.3
Meat and meat products18.60141.919.30.6
Fruit8.88121.76.2-0.7
Vegetables11.08136.123.15.3
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco37.77124.66.00.2
Clothing and footwear45.34111.75.52.4
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels324.70124.213.71.8
Net rent exclusive of heating expenses196.32111.01.80.2
Household energy68.82167.955.05.3
Electricity25.92141.126.04.6
Gas 113.53214.2109.89.2
Heating oil 17.01264.782.83.1
Furniture, lighting equipment, appliances and other household equipment50.04116.09.41.1
Health46.13108.12.20.2
Transport129.05131.112.00.2
Motor fuels35.01152.822.3-0.8
Supergrade petrol25.66142.616.3-1.6
Diesel fuel8.64181.137.70.9
Autogas0.71179.741.42.2
Communication26.7293.9-0.30.1
Recreation and culture113.36116.96.4-0.4
Package holidays26.62125.912.3-3.0
Education9.02107.72.90.6
Restaurant and accommodation services46.77126.78.80.2
Miscellaneous goods and services74.25116.84.00.9

More information:

More information on consumer price statistics is contained in Fachserie 17, Reihe 7 "Verbraucherpreise für Deutschland". Detailed results can also be found in the tables on the consumer price index (61111-0004) and (61111-0006) and on the harmonised index of consumer prices (61121-0002) and 61121-0004) in the GENESIS-Online database. The table "Verbraucherpreisindex – Preisentwicklung für Nahrungsmittel" (only in german) contains information on changes in the prices of individual food products.

The consumer price index results are available on the Corona Statistics webpage (www.destatis.de/corona) of the Federal Statistical Office and in the Dashboard Germany (www.dashboard-deutschland.de), together with other indicators which can be used to assess the economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Dashboard Germany portal of the Federal Statistical Office combines up-to-date indicators of official statistics and of other data providers on the topics of economy and finance as well as health and mobility. The CPI also forms part of the Crisis Monitor (www.destatis.de/krisenmonitor), by means of which the Federal Statistical Office compares the development of major short-term indicators in the Covid-19 crisis and the financial and economic crisis of 2008/2009.

The Russian attack on Ukraine and the relevant sanctions against Russia have had a strong impact on the economy and population and in particular on the energy sector. Data and information on the areas affected are provided on a special webpage (www.destatis.de/ukraine).

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