Press release No. 045 of 12 February 2016
WIESBADEN – Consumer prices in Germany rose by 0.5% in January 2016 compared with January 2015. The inflation rate as measured by the consumer price index increased slightly at the beginning of the year. In December 2015, it had been +0.3%. Compared with December 2015, the consumer price index fell markedly by 0.8% in January 2016. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) thus confirms its provisional overall results of 29 January 2016.
The development of energy prices has had a downward effect on the overall rise in prices since July 2014. Energy prices as a whole were markedly down again in January 2016 from a year earlier (–5.8%). In the last few months, however, the decline in prices gradually slowed; in September 2015, the rate of energy price increase had been –9.3%. In January 2016, the prices of both motor fuels and household energy were down 5.7% each on a year earlier. As regards household energy, particularly consumer-friendly price developments were observed for heating oil (–24.3%) and for charges for central and district heating (–9.4%). Excluding energy prices, the inflation rate in January 2016 would have been +1.2%.
Food prices rose 0.9% in January 2016 compared with January 2015. Prices in January 2016 were markedly higher than a year earlier for fruit (+5.0%, including apples: +8.4%) and vegetables (+3.6%, including potatoes: +30.5%). Price increases were also recorded, among other things, for fish and fish products (+3.0%) and for confectionery (+1.5%). In January 2016, consumers paid less than a year earlier especially for dairy products (–4.1%).
The prices of goods (total) fell by 0.3% in January 2016 compared with January 2015, the main reason being the decrease in energy prices. Other goods for which prices were down included telephones (–3.9%) and coffee, tea and cocoa (–2.1%). Prices were markedly up not only for food (total) but also for some other goods, for example, newspapers and periodicals (+4.9%) and tobacco products (+3.8%).
Compared with the overall inflation rate, the prices of services (total) in January 2016 rose above average (+1.2%) on January 2015. This price rise was mainly due to the increase in net rents exclusive of heating expenses (+1.1%), for which households spend roughly a fifth of their consumption expenditure. Other year-on-year price increases were observed, among other things, for catering services (+2.6%) and transport services (+1.6%). Prices were down especially for telecommunications services (–1.6%).
Change in January 2016 on December 2015
Compared with December 2015, the consumer price index fell markedly by 0.8% in January 2016. The decrease in prices on the previous month was mainly due to seasonal factors. Especially package holiday prices (–19.2%) were lower than in the vacation month of December. Also, prices of clothing (–4.7%) and footwear (–4.0%) were down on the previous month, especially as a result of many discounts given on the winter collection. Due to the continuing sharp decline in crude oil prices, the prices of mineral oil products decreased again month on month (–5.9%, of which heating oil: –13.5%; motor fuels: –4.0%). The prices of energy (total) were down 2.5%.
Generally, at the beginning of any year, changes occur which affect the month-on-month price developments. For example, the slight increase in electricity prices (+0.4%) is partly due to the adjustment of the charge defined in the Renewable Energies Act (2016: 6.35 cents/kWh; 2015: 6.17 cents/kWh). Prices in January 2016 rose, among other things, for insurance services (+0.7%) and postal services (+4.7%).
| Overall index / subindex | Weighting | Index 2010 = 100 | Change on the same period a year earlier | Change on the preceding month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in per mill | in per cent | |||
| Overall index | 1,000.00 | 106.1 | 0.5 | –0.8 |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 102.71 | 112.4 | 0.8 | 0.1 |
| Food | 90.52 | 112.4 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| Meat | 20.76 | 112.9 | 0.2 | –0.2 |
| Fruit | 8.76 | 121.6 | 5.0 | –3.0 |
| Vegetables | 11.26 | 107.0 | 3.6 | 2.8 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.59 | 114.6 | 2.5 | 0.2 |
| Clothing and footwear | 44.93 | 101.8 | 0.5 | –4.3 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 317.29 | 107.2 | –0.5 | –0.2 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 209.93 | 107.3 | 1.1 | 0.2 |
| Household energy | 68.19 | 106.8 | –5.7 | –1.7 |
| Electricity | 26.21 | 125.1 | –0.2 | 0.4 |
| Gas | 14.46 | 107.9 | –2.4 | –1.4 |
| Heating oil | 11.11 | 63.7 | –24.3 | –13.5 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and so on | 49.78 | 103.6 | 0.8 | –0.2 |
| Health | 44.44 | 104.3 | 1.9 | 0.4 |
| Transport | 134.73 | 102.9 | –0.4 | –0.8 |
| Motor fuels | 38.37 | 86.6 | –5.7 | –4.0 |
| Supergrade petrol | 28.38 | 88.3 | –3.3 | –3.3 |
| Diesel fuel | 9.19 | 81.2 | –12.4 | –6.3 |
| Communication | 30.10 | 90.9 | –1.1 | 0.3 |
| Recreation and culture | 114.92 | 103.2 | 1.4 | –4.9 |
| Package holidays | 26.83 | 98.0 | 0.7 | –19.2 |
| Education | 8.80 | 94.0 | 1.6 | 0.9 |
| Restaurants and hotels | 44.67 | 112.1 | 2.3 | 0.2 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 70.04 | 108.2 | 1.6 | 0.7 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 950.52 | 107.4 | 0.9 | –0.6 |
| Excluding household energy | 931.81 | 106.1 | 1.0 | –0.7 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 893.44 | 106.9 | 1.2 | –0.7 |
| Goods | 479.77 | 105.2 | –0.3 | –0.8 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 307.89 | 107.5 | –1.1 | –0.7 |
| including: | ||||
| Energy | 106.56 | 99.5 | –5.8 | –2.5 |
| Services | 520.23 | 107.0 | 1.2 | –0.8 |
| 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 | ||||
| 2014 A | 106.6 | 0.9 | − | |
| 2015 A | 106.9 | 0.3 | − | |
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 | |
| 2016 | January | 106.1 | 0.5 | –0.8 |
Note on the harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) with the provisional result released on 29 January 2016 was the last published on index base 2005 = 100 as a new index base (2015 = 100) will be introduced afterwards. The final results of the HICP on the new index base will be released on 25 February 2016.
More information on consumer price statistics is provided by Fachserie 17, Reihe 7.
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).