The new Service Producer Price Indices are based on development projects which serve the production of new data for the increasingly important tertiary sector. Hence, methodological studies have been conducted and discussed on an international level. The Voorburg-Group which met in Wiesbaden in 2006 is an important global forum on that issue.
Working on Service Producer Price Indices concentrates on examining the sectors of which the price development is measured. Usually, after analysing sector information, sector-specific surveys are conducted. Their object is to clarify the structure of the services offered by the sector and measure the price development of these services in the course of time.
From fall 2007 on indices for about 20 service sectors are successively introduced. The figures are updated every quarter. Service Producer Price Indices are an important economic indicator for politics and the economy.
More information on the methodology for Service Producer Price Indices can be gained from the following article that were published in DESTATIS’ journal “Wirtschaft und Statistik”:
- Development of Producer Price Indices for Services (PDF, 339 kB, File not barrier free)
- The new producer price indices for goods transports and logistics (PDF, 421 kB, File not barrier free)
- New producer price indices for post and telecommunications
- New producer price indices for advertising and market research
- The new producer price indices for architectural and engineering activities and for activities of employment placement and temporary employment agencies
Another source of information is the Methodological Guide for Developing Producer Price Indices for Services published by OECD and Eurostat.