Press release No. 241 of 13 July 2017
WIESBADEN – Consumer prices in Germany rose by 1.6% in June 2017 compared with June 2016. This means that the inflation rate as measured by the consumer price index was slightly up, following a decrease to 1.5% in May 2017 (April 2017: +2.0%). Compared with May 2017, the consumer price index rose by 0.2% in June 2017. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) thus confirms its provisional overall results of 29 June 2017.
In June 2017, the development of energy prices had a downward effect on the overall inflation rate. Compared with the same month a year earlier, Energy prices remained unchanged in June 2017. The increase in energy prices thus slowed again (May 2017: +2.0%; April and March 2017: +5.1% each). The prices of some energy products (for example, electricity: +1.5%; heating oil: +0.9%; motor fuels: +0.2%) were slightly up in June 2017 on a year earlier. Decreases were observed for gas prices (–3.2%) and charges for central and district heating (–1.1%). Excluding energy (total), the inflation rate in June 2017 was +1.8%.
Food prices rose 2.8% from June 2016 to June 2017. The year-on-year increase in food prices thus accelerated again in June 2017 (May 2017: +2.4%; April 2017: +1.8%). In June 2017, prices were up on a year earlier especially for edible fats and oils (+25.9%), especially butter (+59.5%) was much more expensive. For all dairy products, too, consumers had to pay markedly more (+13.2%). Price increases were also recorded, among other things, for fish and fish products (+3.4%) and for meat and meat products (+1.8%), whereas prices were down especially for vegetables (–3.2%). Excluding energy and food prices, the inflation rate was +1.6% in June 2017.
Prices of goods (total) rose 1.5% from June 2016 to June 2017. Prices were markedly up on the previous year not only for food (+2.8%) but also, for example, for newspapers and periodicals (+4.6%), tobacco products (+4.2%) and pharmaceutical products (+3.0%). Price decreases were observed, among others, for consumer electronics (–2.6%).
Prices of services (total) rose by 1.7% in June 2017 on a year earlier, that is, the price increase was slightly larger than for goods. The increase in service prices was mainly due to the development of net rents exclusive of heating expenses (+1.8% on June 2016), as households spend a large part of their consumption expenditure on this item. The price increases for package holidays (+5.6%) and maintenance and repair of vehicles (+3.3%), for example, were even larger. The prices of some services were down, especially for services of social facilities (–7.0%); this was due to the implementation of Act II on Strengthening Long-Term Care in January 2017. Especially regarding home care services, there was a decrease in the co-payments to be made by people who are insured under a statutory health insurance scheme and make use of individual care services.
Change in June 2017 on May 2017
Compared with May 2017, the consumer price index rose by 0.2% in June 2017. Marked seasonal price increases on the previous month were recorded for package holidays (+13.0%, of which holidays abroad: +13.6%; domestic holidays: +5.3%) and air tickets (+4.8%).
The prices of energy (total) decreased by 0.8% in June 2017. Here, prices were down both for heating oil (–5.0%) and motor fuels (–1.4%, including supergrade petrol: –1.1%, diesel fuel: –2.4%). Month-on-month price decreases were also observed for clothing (–4.3%).
Food prices (total) remained nearly unchanged from the previous month (–0.1%) in June 2017. Vegetable prices, for example, were down (–2.6%). Prices decreased markedly for some vegetables (for example, tomatoes: –21.7%; butterhead lettuce or iceberg salad: –10.3%; peppers: –8.0%). There were substantial price increases for edible fats and oils (+4.9%) due to the enormous increase in butter prices (+10.0% on May 2017).
| 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 | 109.0 | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 102.71 | 115.6 | 2.6 | –0.1 |
| Food | 90.52 | 115.8 | 2.8 | –0.1 |
| Meat | 20.76 | 114.9 | 1.8 | 0.2 |
| Fruit | 8.76 | 128.7 | –0.3 | –0.9 |
| Vegetables | 11.26 | 106.3 | –3.2 | –2.6 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.59 | 119.5 | 2.8 | 0.6 |
| Clothing and footwear | 44.93 | 107.3 | 1.7 | –3.3 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 317.29 | 109.3 | 1.3 | –0.1 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 209.93 | 109.7 | 1.8 | 0.1 |
| Household energy | 68.19 | 108.5 | –0.1 | –0.5 |
| Electricity | 26.21 | 127.8 | 1.5 | 0.3 |
| Gas | 14.46 | 103.6 | –3.2 | 0.0 |
| Heating oil | 11.11 | 79.9 | 0.9 | –5.0 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and so on | 49.78 | 104.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 |
| Health | 44.44 | 107.0 | 1.9 | 0.0 |
| Transport | 134.73 | 107.0 | 1.4 | –0.2 |
| Motor fuels | 38.37 | 94.0 | 0.2 | –1.4 |
| Supergrade petrol | 28.38 | 95.1 | 0.1 | –1.1 |
| Diesel fuel | 9.19 | 91.0 | 0.0 | –2.4 |
| Communication | 30.10 | 89.7 | –0.6 | –0.1 |
| Recreation and culture | 114.92 | 107.7 | 2.5 | 2.7 |
| Package holidays | 26.83 | 109.0 | 5.6 | 13.0 |
| Education | 8.80 | 95.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Restaurants and hotels | 44.67 | 115.7 | 2.0 | 0.3 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 70.04 | 109.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding food and energy | 802.92 | 109.0 | 1.6 | 0.3 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 893.44 | 109.7 | 1.8 | 0.3 |
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 950.52 | 109.9 | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| Goods | 479.77 | 108.3 | 1.5 | –0.5 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 307.89 | 110.9 | 1.5 | –0.3 |
| Energy | 106.56 | 103.3 | 0.0 | –0.8 |
| Services | 520.23 | 109.7 | 1.7 | 0.7 |
| Overall index ________ Year / Month | Index 2010 = 100 | Change on the previous year | Change on the previous month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in % | ||||
| A = annual average –= no figures or magnitude zero | ||||
| 2015 A | 106.9 | 0.3 | − | |
| 2016 A | 107.4 | 0.5 | − | |
| 2016 | June | 107.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| July | 107.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | |
| August | 107.6 | 0.4 | 0.0 | |
| September | 107.7 | 0.7 | 0.1 | |
| October | 107.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | |
| November | 108.0 | 0.8 | 0.1 | |
| December | 108.8 | 1.7 | 0.7 | |
| 2017 | January | 108.1 | 1.9 | –0.6 |
| February | 108.8 | 2.2 | 0.6 | |
| March | 109.0 | 1.6 | 0.2 | |
| April | 109.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | |
| May | 108.8 | 1.5 | –0.2 | |
| June | 109.0 | 1.6 | 0.2 | |
Harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, rose by 1.5% in June 2017 on June 2016. Compared with May 2017, the index rose by 0.2% in June 2017. This confirmed the HICP estimates of 29 June 2017.
More information on consumer price statistics is provided by Fachserie 17, Reihe 7.
Detailed data and long time series of consumer price statistics can also be found in the Genesis Online database in tables 61111-0004 and 61111-0006 (consumer price index) as well as in tables 61121-0002 and 61121-0004 (harmonised consumer price index).