Press release No. 018 of 19 January 2016
WIESBADEN – On an annual average in 2015, the consumer prices in Germany rose 0.3% on 2014. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that the year-on-year rate of price increase has been declining since 2011 (2011: +2.1%). Such a low rate of price increase was last recorded in 2009 (+0.3%). In December 2015, the inflation rate as measured by the consumer price index amounted to +0.3% compared with December 2014. Thus it was slightly lower than the relevant rate in November 2015 (+0.4%).
The low 2015 year-on-year rate of price increase was largely due to the development of energy product prices. In 2015, the prices of energy as a whole declined considerably (–7.0%) on 2014. Thus the downward trend in energy prices observed a year earlier (2014: –2.1% on 2013) became even stronger in 2015. This was mainly the result of the sharp decline in crude oil prices in the world market. Especially the prices of heating oil (–23.1%) and motor fuels (–10.0%) declined in 2015 year on year. In addition to the strong decline in mineral oil product prices, the prices of other energy products (for example, charges for central and district heating: −5.6%; gas: −1.5%; electricity: −0.8%) were down, too. Excluding energy prices, the year-on-year rate of price increase was +1.1% in 2015.
Food prices (total) increased 0.8% in 2015 year on year. Unlike energy prices, they had an upward effect on prices as a whole on an annual average. However, there were some opposite developments: Prices were markedly up for fruit (+5.0%) and vegetables (+5.3%), in particular. Lower prices were above all observed for dairy products and eggs (–4.3%) and edible fats and oils (–4.8%).
The prices of goods (total) fell by 0.8% in 2015 compared with 2014, the main reason being the decrease in energy prices. However, some goods became more expensive, besides food especially newspapers and periodicals (+5.9%), coffee, tea, cocoa (+5.5%), and tobacco products (+4.0%).
In 2015, the prices of services (total) rose 1.2% (including net rent exclusive of heating expenses: +1.2%) compared with 2014. Particularly striking were increases in the prices, among other things, of road passenger transport (of which taxi ride: +12.1%) and hairdresser services and other services for personal care (+3.4%). As in the previous years, lower prices were however recorded for telecommunications services (–1.3%). A slight decline in prices was also recorded for air travels (–0.7%) and package holidays (–0.3%).
Change in December 2015 on December 2014
Compared with December 2014, consumer prices as a whole increased by only 0.3% in December 2015. Thus the monthly inflation rates were clearly below 1% across 2015.
In December 2015, energy prices were down 6.5% year on year. Thus the downward trend in energy prices continued to slow down at the end of the year (October 2015: −8.6%, November 2015: −7.5%). Compared with a year earlier, prices in December 2015 were down for all household energy products, in particular, heating oil (–23.3%) and charges for central and district heating (–9.2%). The prices of motor fuels also declined substantially (–7.5%). Energy prices had a considerable effect on the inflation rate in December 2015, too. Not considering energy prices, the rate of price increase was 1.1%.
Food prices rose 1.4% in December 2015 compared with a year earlier. Fruit and vegetable prices were considerably up (+6.7% each) in December 2015 year on year. Rising prices were also recorded for other food groups like fish and fish products (+2.4%) and confectionery (+2.5%) compared with December 2014. However, prices were markedly down for dairy products and eggs (–3.9%).
The prices of goods (total) fell by 0.6% in December 2015 year on year, above all due to the substantial decrease in energy prices. The prices of services (total) were up 1.2% in the same period, which was mainly the result of increasing net rents exclusive of heating expenses (+1.0%). Price increases were recorded, among other things, for maintenance and repair of vehicles (+2.6%), catering services in restaurants, cafes and the like (+2.8%) and hairdresser services and other services for personal care (+3.6%). Telecommunications services, in particular, became slightly less expensive (–1.5%).
Change in December 2015 on November 2015
Compared with November 2015, the index fell by 0.1% in December 2015. Energy prices declined again (–2.9%) in December 2015 month on month. This referred especially to heating oil (–14.5%) and motor fuels (–4.4%). A consumer-friendly price development was also observed for clothing and footwear (–2.7%), which was due to considerable seasonal price reductions for individual articles. In a month-on-month comparison, the prices of food (total) declined only slightly (–0.4%). The annual changes in rail fares towards the end of a year were rather moderate compared with those of previous years. While rail fares were up 1.0% in short-distance transport, they were down 0.4% in long-distance transport. However, consumers had to pay much more for package holidays in that typical travel month in 2015, too (+13.7% on November 2015).
| Overall index / subindex | Weighting | 2015 A | December 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Change on 2014 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 | 0.3 | 0.3 | –0.1 |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 102.71 | 0.7 | 1.1 | –0.4 |
| Food | 90.52 | 0.8 | 1.4 | –0.4 |
| Meat | 20.76 | –0.5 | –0.1 | 0.0 |
| Fruit | 8.76 | 5.0 | 6.7 | –1.7 |
| Vegetables | 11.26 | 5.3 | 6.7 | –2.7 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.59 | 2.8 | 2.5 | –0.1 |
| Clothing and footwear | 44.93 | 0.8 | –0.5 | –2.7 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 317.29 | –0.4 | –0.6 | –0.5 |
| Net rent exclusive of heatingexpenses | 209.93 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Household energy | 68.19 | –5.6 | –6.0 | –2.1 |
| Electricity | 26.21 | –0.8 | –1.1 | 0.1 |
| Gas | 14.46 | –1.5 | –1.2 | –0.2 |
| Heating oil | 11.11 | –23.1 | –23.3 | –14.5 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and so on | 49.78 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.2 |
| Health | 44.44 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 0.0 |
| Transport | 134.73 | –1.7 | –1.0 | –1.0 |
| Motor fuels | 38.37 | –10.0 | –7.5 | –4.4 |
| Supergrade petrol | 28.38 | –8.8 | –5.6 | –3.8 |
| Diesel fuel | 9.19 | –13.1 | –12.9 | –7.2 |
| Communication | 30.10 | –1.2 | –1.3 | –0.1 |
| Recreation and culture | 114.92 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| Package holidays | 26.83 | –0.3 | 0.3 | 13.7 |
| Education | 8.80 | –0.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Restaurants and hotels | 44.67 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 0.2 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 70.04 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.0 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 950.52 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.3 |
| Excluding household energy | 931.81 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.1 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 893.44 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.3 |
| Goods | 479.77 | –0.8 | –0.6 | –0.9 |
| Non–durable consumer goods | 307.89 | –1.5 | –1.3 | –1.0 |
| including: | ||||
| Energy | 106.56 | –7.0 | –6.5 | –2.9 |
| Services | 520.23 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.7 |
| Overall index ________ Year / Month | Index 2010 = 100 | Change on the same period a year earlier | Change on the preceding month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in % | ||||
| A = annual average –= no figures or magnitude zero | ||||
| 2013 A | 105.7 | 1.5 | − | |
| 2014 A | 106.6 | 0.9 | − | |
| 2015 A | 106.9 | 0.3 | − | |
| 2014 | December | 106.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| 2015 | January | 105.6 | –0.3 | –1.0 |
| February | 106.5 | 0.1 | 0.9 | |
| March | 107.0 | 0.3 | 0.5 | |
| April | 107.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | |
| May | 107.1 | 0.7 | 0.1 | |
| June | 107.0 | 0.3 | –0.1 | |
| July | 107.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | |
| August | 107.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | |
| September | 107.0 | 0.0 | –0.2 | |
| October | 107.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | |
| November | 107.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | |
| December | 107.0 | 0.3 | –0.1 | |
Harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, rose by 0.1% in 2015 in an annual comparison with 2014. In December 2015, the HICP was up 0.2% on December 2014. Compared with November 2015, the index remained unchanged in December 2015.
The provisional overall results of 4 January 2016 for the consumer price index (CPI) and the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) were thus confirmed.
Important note regarding the HICP results
The harmonised index of consumer prices with the provisional result to be released on 28 January 2016 will be the last to be published on index base 2005 = 100 as a new index base (2015 = 100) will be introduced afterwards.
More information on consumer price statistics is provided by Fachserie 17, Reihe 7, which is available for download from the website of the Federal Statistical Office at www.destatis.de, path: Publikationen > Thematische Veröffentlichungen > Preise .
Detailed data and long time series on consumer price statistics can also be retrieved from the Genesis Online database through the Verbraucherpreisindex tables (61111-0004) and (61111-0006).