Press release No. 320 of 10 September 2026
Consumer price index, August 2026:
+2.9% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+0.2% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
Harmonised index of consumer prices, August 2026:
+2.9% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+0.2% 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 +2.9% in August 2026. The rise in consumer prices therefore intensified slightly again, after having stood at +2.8% in July 2026 and +2.3% in June 2026. "In August, higher energy prices were again the primary drivers of overall inflation," says Ruth Brand, President of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). "The rise in energy prices, caused primarily by the war in Iran, was particularly noticeable in the case of motor fuel prices", Brand adds. Compared with July 2026, overall consumer prices rose by 0.2% in August 2026.
Energy product prices up 10.5% compared with August 2025
The prices of energy products (total) were 10.5% higher in August 2026 than in August 2025. The rise in energy prices therefore accelerated again significantly in August 2026 compared with the same month of the previous year (July 2026: +8.3%; June 2026: +3.4%). This was the biggest increase in energy prices in over three years (February 2023: +19.1% on February 2022). The price developments which have been observed on the crude oil market (only in German) since the start of the Iran war continued to be reflected in higher prices at the pump for consumers in August 2026. Compared with August 2025, motor fuels were 27.7% more expensive (July 2026: +23.0%).
Heating oil, which falls under household energy, registered an even sharper increase (+49.6%) between August 2025 and August 2026. As heating oil accounts for only a small share of final consumption expenditure on household energy, and electricity
(-5.5%), natural gas including operating costs (-2.9%) and district heating (-1.0%) all cost less than a year earlier, household energy (total) was 0.7% less expensive than in the same month of the previous year. The downward price trends registered for electricity, natural gas and district heating 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 0.1% compared with previous year
Food prices in August 2026 were largely unchanged (+0.1%) from the same month a year earlier, following increases of 0.4% in July, June and May 2026. Compared with the same month of the previous year, however, some food items were considerably more expensive in August 2026, including eggs (+15.2%), fresh vegetables (+5.2%) and fish, fish products and seafood (+4.4%). By contrast, lower prices were observed particularly for edible fats and oils (-15.3%, including butter: -29.9%), fresh fruit (-5.6%) and dairy products (-5.5%).
Inflation rate excluding food and energy at +2.4%
In August 2026, the inflation rate excluding energy stood at +2.2% and the inflation rate excluding heating oil and motor fuels was +2.0%. The inflation rate excluding food and energy, often referred to as core inflation, stood at +2.4% in August 2026 and was therefore lower than overall inflation.
Goods prices up 3.0% on August 2025
The prices of goods were 3.0% higher in August 2026 than a year earlier. Non-durable consumer goods cost 4.2% more, particularly due to the development of energy prices (+10.5%), while the prices of durable consumer goods rose by 1.0%. Particularly sharp year-on-year price increases were recorded for information processing equipment (+9.0%) and tobacco products (+6.0%), for example. By contrast, household appliances (-1.9%) and consumer electronics (-2.8%), for example, were less expensive.
Service prices up 2.8% on a year earlier
The prices of services (total) increased by 2.8% in August 2026 on August 2025. The rise in service prices therefore slowed again slightly and was just below the level of overall inflation. Year on year, particularly sharp price increases were registered for social protection services (+6.3%), the maintenance and repair of vehicles (+4.7%) and package holidays (+3.2%), for example. Water supply and miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling and catering services in restaurants, cafés and the like (+3.1% in each case) were also more expensive in August 2026 than a year earlier. Net rents exclusive of heating expenses (+1.9% on the same month of the previous year) continued to be a significant factor contributing to the overall development of prices in August 2026. Telecommunications service prices remained almost unchanged (+0.1%) compared with the previous year.
Prices (total) up 0.2% month on month, motor fuels up 3.1%
Compared with July 2026, the overall consumer price index rose by 0.2% in August 2026. Even though the fuel discount had ended on 30 June 2026, motor fuels were again more expensive in August 2026 compared with July 2026 (+3.1%, including diesel fuel: +6.4%, supergrade petrol: +2.1%). Energy prices (total) rose by 1.7% month on month, which was attributable to the price increases recorded not only for motor fuel but also for heating oil (+6.5%). Consumers also had to pay more than a year earlier for games, toys and hobby-related articles (+3.0%) and clothing (+1.8%). Food prices (total) remained virtually unchanged (-0.1%), with the prices of fresh fruit, in particular, registering a decline (-0.1%). This was mainly due to seasonal factors. Air tickets, for example, also cost less than in the previous month (-8.0%).
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 | 125.8 | 2.9 | 0.2 |
| Food and non-alcoholic-beverages | 119.04 | 136.7 | 0.1 | -0.1 |
| Food | 104.69 | 136.0 | 0.1 | -0.1 |
| Non-alcoholic beverages | 14.35 | 141.3 | -0.3 | 0.2 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 35.26 | 132.0 | 3.9 | -0.2 |
| Clothing and footwear | 42.25 | 107.2 | 0.4 | 1.4 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 259.25 | 119.6 | 1.6 | 0.3 |
| Actual net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 68.30 | 112.8 | 2.2 | 0.2 |
| Imputed net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 104.13 | 111.2 | 1.8 | 0.3 |
| Household energy | 43.44 | 145.6 | -0.7 | 0.6 |
| Electricity | 24.50 | 117.8 | -5.5 | -0.2 |
| Furniture, lighting equipment, appliances and other household equipment | 67.78 | 118.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Health | 55.49 | 116.7 | 5.2 | 0.2 |
| Transport | 138.22 | 138.1 | 8.8 | 0.3 |
| Motor fuels | 30.46 | 173.7 | 27.7 | 3.1 |
| Communication | 23.35 | 99.2 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| Recreation and culture | 104.23 | 122.4 | 1.7 | 0.2 |
| Package holidays | 13.22 | 159.5 | 3.2 | -0.3 |
| Education | 9.06 | 125.2 | 5.5 | 0.5 |
| Restaurant and accommodation services | 47.20 | 136.6 | 2.9 | 0.1 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 98.87 | 132.9 | 3.9 | 0.2 |
| Social protection services | 27.75 | 144.1 | 6.3 | 0.2 |
| Insurance services | 22.56 | 134.7 | 2.9 | 0.1 |
| Overall index, excluding food and energy 1 | 821.41 | 121.7 | 2.4 | 0.1 |
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 August 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 high-frequency 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) (only in German) 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 calculate their personal inflation rate. In addition, the Price Kaleidoscope gives an overview of the price trend and the weights of various products.