Press release No. 283 of 12 August 2026
Consumer price index, July 2026:
+2.8% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+0.8% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
Harmonised index of consumer prices, July 2026:
+2.8% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+0.9% 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 +2.8% in July 2026. The rise in consumer prices therefore intensified, after having stood at +2.3% in June 2026 and +2.6% in May 2026. In April 2026, inflation was slightly higher at +2.9%. "Energy prices continued to increase at an above-average rate and therefore remained the key driver of inflation. The rise in energy prices was much more pronounced than in the previous month, driving up the rate of inflation," says Ruth Brand, President of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). "In particular, motor fuel prices increased appreciably on the previous month. This was due to the discontinuation of the government fuel discount on 30 June, which coincided with the increase in the price of oil as a result of the ongoing Iran war," Brand adds. Compared with June 2026, consumer prices rose by 0.8% in July 2026.
Energy product prices up 8.3% compared with July 2025
The prices of energy products (total) were 8.3% higher in July 2026 than in July 2025. The rise in energy prices therefore intensified significantly in July 2026 compared with the same month of the previous year (June 2026: +3.4%; May 2026: +6.6%; April 2026: +10.1%). Aside from developments on the crude oil market (only in German), one reason for the renewed price increase is likely the discontinuation of the temporary reduction in energy tax an motor fuels (known as the "fuel discount") on 30 June 2026. In July 2026, the price of motor fuels was up 23.0% year on year. The increase was therefore significantly more pronounced than in the two previous months (June 2026: +11.3%; May 2026: +18.0%).
As a result of developments on the crude oil market, heating oil, which falls under household energy, also registered a substantial price increase (+34.7%) in July 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier (June 2026: +29.4%; May 2026: +47.9%). Despite the price increase, household energy (total) cost less (-1.4%) than in the same month of the previous year, as heating oil accounts for only a small share of household final consumption expenditure. Household energy prices were already 1.6% lower in June than in the same month a year earlier. In addition, in July 2026 electricity prices were down 5.3%, natural gas prices including operating costs fell by 2.9% and district heating cost 1.2% less compared with July 2025. These downward price trends are in part attributable to the measures of the Federal Government which have been implemented since the beginning of the year.
Food prices registered below-average increase of +0.4% compared with previous year
Food prices were 0.4% higher in July 2026 than in the same month a year earlier. The rise in food prices stood at +0.4% already in May and June 2026. In July 2026, consumers had to pay more than a year earlier for meat and meat products (+1.9%, including beef and veal: +7.2%) and for sugar, jam, honey and other confectionery (+4.0%), for example. By contrast, the prices of edible fats and oils (-15.3%, including butter: -30.1%) and dairy products (-5.9%) were down compared with July 2025.
Inflation rate excluding food and energy at +2.4%
In July 2026, the inflation rate excluding energy stood at +2.2% and the inflation rate excluding heating oil and motor fuels was +1.9%. The inflation rate excluding food and energy, often referred to as core inflation, stood at +2.4% in July 2026 and was therefore lower than overall inflation.
Goods prices up 2.5% on July 2025
The prices of goods were 2.5% higher in July 2026 than a year earlier. Non-durable consumer goods cost 3.7% more, particularly due to the expensive energy products (+8.3%), and the prices of durable consumer goods rose by 0.3%. Significant year-on-year price increases were recorded for information processing equipment (+9.6%) and tobacco products (+6.0%), for example. By contrast, household appliances (-2.0%) and consumer electronics (-4.0%), for example, were less expensive.
Service prices up 2.9% year on year
The prices of services (total) in July 2026 were 2.9% higher than in the same month a year earlier, after +3.1% in June 2026. The rise in service prices therefore slowed slightly but was still just above overall inflation. Year on year, particularly sharp price increases were registered for social protection services (+6.5%), package holidays (+5.6%) and the maintenance and repair of vehicles (+4.7%), for example. Water supply and miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling (+3.2%) and catering services in restaurants, cafés and the like (+2.9%) were also more expensive in July 2026 than a year earlier. Net rents exclusive of heating expenses (+1.8% on the same month of the previous year) continued to be a significant factor contributing to the overall development of prices in July 2026. Compared with the previous year, telecommunications service prices remained almost unchanged (+0.1%).
Prices (total) up 0.8% month on month, motor fuels up 11.2%
Compared with June 2026, the overall consumer price index rose by 0.8% in July 2026. In the summer travelling season, month-on-month price increases were recorded in particular for package international holidays (+12.6%) and tickets for international flights (+7.1%), despite the reduction in aviation tax. Travellers also had to pay more for journeys done using combustion-powered vehicles. Motor fuel prices jumped by 11.2% (including diesel fuel: +12.6%; supergrade petrol: +11.0%) after the government fuel discount ended on 30 June 2026. Energy prices (total) rose by 5.0% month on month, which was due not only to motor fuels but also to heating oil (+6.4%). By contrast, food prices (total) remained virtually unchanged (+0.1%). Here, the prices of fresh fruit declined by 2.4%. Consumers also benefitted from the month-on-month decrease in the prices for some essential food items such as butter and coffee (both -2.3%). Lower prices were observed in particular for clothing (-5.4%), which was also due to seasonal factors.
Methodological notes:
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) is calculated in addition to the national consumer price index (CPI) particularly to enable comparisons within the euro area. The HICP is the key measure for quantifying price stability within the framework of European monetary policy and is generally derived from the same data material on which the national CPI is based.
Apart from the individual purposes they serve, the CPI and the HICP differ in terms of coverage, methodology and weighting.
With effect from January 2026, substantial changes have been made to the HICP with regard to methodology and the classification used. Furthermore, the HICP result uses 2025 as the index base (2025=100) as of reference month January 2026. Up-to-date information on the changes concerning the HICP is provided in a web article on the "Consumer price index" page of the website of the Federal Statistical Office. Explanatory notes and a methodological paper are also available there.
Overall index / subindex | Weighting | Change on same period of previous year | Change on the previous month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Index | ||||
in per mill | % | |||
| 1: Core inflation | ||||
| Overall index | 1,000.00 | 125.6 | 2.8 | 0.8 |
| Food and non-alcoholic-beverages | 119.04 | 136.8 | 0.4 | 0.1 |
| Food | 104.69 | 136.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 |
| Non-alcoholic beverages | 14.35 | 141.0 | 0.9 | -0.2 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 35.26 | 132.3 | 4.3 | 0.4 |
| Clothing and footwear | 42.25 | 105.7 | -1.0 | -4.7 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 259.25 | 119.3 | 1.4 | 0.3 |
| Actual net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 68.30 | 112.6 | 2.2 | 0.2 |
| Imputed net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 104.13 | 110.9 | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| Household energy | 43.44 | 144.8 | -1.4 | 0.4 |
| Electricity | 24.50 | 118.0 | -5.3 | -0.1 |
| Furniture, lighting equipment, appliances and other household equipment | 67.78 | 118.1 | -0.2 | 0.0 |
| Health | 55.49 | 116.5 | 5.0 | 3.0 |
| Transport | 138.22 | 137.7 | 7.9 | 3.3 |
| Motor fuels | 30.46 | 168.5 | 23.0 | 11.2 |
| Communication | 23.35 | 99.2 | 0.8 | -0.1 |
| Recreation and culture | 104.23 | 122.2 | 2.1 | 1.6 |
| Package holidays | 13.22 | 160.0 | 5.6 | 11.0 |
| Education | 9.06 | 124.6 | 4.4 | 0.1 |
| Restaurant and accommodation services | 47.20 | 136.4 | 2.9 | 0.1 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 98.87 | 132.7 | 4.1 | 0.3 |
| Social protection services | 27.75 | 143.8 | 6.5 | 0.6 |
| Insurance services | 22.56 | 134.5 | 3.2 | 0.2 |
| Overall index, excluding food and energy 1 | 821.41 | 121.6 | 2.4 | 0.3 |
More information:
Detailed results can 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 (61121-0006) in the GENESIS-Online database. Special items shown in Tables 61111-0006 and 61121-0006 contain CPI and HICP results which are used to measure "core inflation".
Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Union, has released provisional results on Euro area inflation for July 2026 (available on Eurostat’s website under News > Euro indicators).
CPI results can also be found on the "Economic Dashboard" (www.dashboard-konjunktur.de) (only in German). In this data portal, the Federal Statistical Office brings together up-to-date indicators from official statistics producers and other data providers on the topics of the economy, finance, the labour market, construction and energy.
Data on the war in the Middle East and its consequences are provided on a special page (www.destatis.de/nahost) on the website of the Federal Statistical Office. This page includes information on energy supply and the development of energy prices, air and maritime transport, and foreign trade with the region.
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.