Press release No. 045 of 14 February 2018
WIESBADEN – Consumer prices in Germany rose by 1.6% in January 2018 compared with January 2017. The inflation rate – measured by the consumer price index – thus decreased slightly at the beginning of the year (December 2017: +1.7%, November 2017: +1.8%). Compared with December 2017, the consumer price index fell by 0.7% in January 2018, which was largely due to seasonal influences. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) thus confirms its provisional overall results of 30 January 2018.
Energy prices, which in January 2018 were by 0.9% higher than a year earlier, had a downward effect on the overall inflation rate. Also, the increase in energy prices slowed again (December 2017: +1.3%; November 2017: +3.7%). From January 2017 to January 2018, prices rose especially for heating oil (+5.5%). Price increases were also recorded for electricity (+1.6) and charges for central and district heating (+1.5%). In contrast, the prices of gas (–1.3%) and motor fuels (–0.5%) were down on the same month a year earlier. Excluding energy prices, the inflation rate would have been slightly higher (+1.7%) in January 2018.
Food prices rose considerably by +3.1% in January 2018 compared with January 2017. The year-on-year increase in food prices has been three percent or over for six months now (August 2017: +3.0%) and had an upward effect on the overall inflation rate also in January 2018. A year-on-year increase in prices was recorded especially for edible fats and oils (+15.2%) and for dairy products (+10.3%) in January 2018. Consumers had to pay markedly more (+8.3%) for fruit, too. However, the prices of vegetables declined considerably year on year (–5.7%). Excluding energy and food prices, the inflation rate would have been slightly lower (+1.5%) in January 2018.
Prices of goods (total) were up 1.5% in January 2018 on January 2017. As regards goods, prices were up not only for energy products and food; marked price increases were also observed for newspapers and periodicals (+5.1%) and tobacco products (+4.5%). However, there were also some goods that showed price decreases as, for example, information processing equipment (−2.0%), consumer electronics (−1.4%) and clothing (−0.9%).
The prices of services (total) rose 1.6% in January 2018 compared with January 2017. A major factor contributing to the increase in service prices was the development of net rents exclusive of heating expenses (+1.7% on January 2017), as households spend a large part of their consumption expenditure on this item. Larger price increases were recorded, for example, for maintenance and repair of vehicles (+4.0%), in-patient health services (+2.5%) and catering services (+2.1%). In contrast, prices were down on a year earlier, for instance, for telecommunication services (–0.8%).
Change in January 2018 on December 2017
A major reason for the 0.7% decrease in prices in January 2018 on December 2017 was seasonal factors. Package holiday prices (–22.2%) in January 2018 were notably lower than in the vacation month of December. The prices of air travels, too, recorded a decrease (–5.0%). Also, the prices of clothing (–7.3%) and footwear (–3.3%) were down on the previous month, which was especially due to the discounts given on the winter collection.
Energy prices were up 0.4% in January 2018 compared with the previous month. Higher prices than in the previous month had to be paid especially for heating oil (+2.7%). Consumers paid slightly more also for electricity (+0.5%) and motor fuels (+0.3%). In contrast, gas prices went down (–0.7%). Food prices increased slightly more markedly (+0.8%) than energy prices in January 2018 on the previous month. Month-on-month price rises were recorded especially for vegetables (+4.3%) and more specifically fresh vegetables such as salad, tomatoes and cucumbers. In contrast, price decreases were observed for edible fats and oils (–1.0%) and meat and meat products (–0.3%).
| 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 | 109.8 | 1.6 | –0.7 |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 102.71 | 119.2 | 2.9 | 0.8 |
| Food | 90.52 | 119.6 | 3.1 | 0.8 |
| Meat | 20.76 | 117.1 | 2.6 | –0.3 |
| Fruit | 8.76 | 137.8 | 8.3 | 0.7 |
| Vegetables | 11.26 | 111.8 | –5.7 | 4.3 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.59 | 120.3 | 2.8 | 0.0 |
| Clothing and footwear | 44.93 | 103.0 | –0.3 | –6.1 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 317.29 | 110.8 | 1.6 | 0.4 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 209.93 | 110.8 | 1.7 | 0.3 |
| Household energy | 68.19 | 111.4 | 1.5 | 0.5 |
| Electricity | 26.21 | 128.9 | 1.6 | 0.5 |
| Gas | 14.46 | 102.9 | –1.3 | –0.7 |
| Heating oil | 11.11 | 95.8 | 5.5 | 2.7 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and so on | 49.78 | 104.8 | 1.0 | 0.2 |
| Health | 44.44 | 107.6 | 1.4 | 0.2 |
| Transport | 134.73 | 108.7 | 1.5 | 0.1 |
| Motor fuels | 38.37 | 97.2 | –0.5 | 0.3 |
| Supergrade petrol | 28.38 | 96.8 | –1.3 | –0.1 |
| Diesel fuel | 9.19 | 98.7 | 1.5 | 1.1 |
| Communication | 30.10 | 89.5 | –0.7 | –0.1 |
| Recreation and culture | 114.92 | 106.4 | 1.5 | –5.8 |
| Package holidays | 26.83 | 100.3 | 0.9 | –22.2 |
| Education | 8.80 | 97.7 | 2.7 | 1.6 |
| Restaurants and hotels | 44.67 | 116.5 | 2.1 | 0.2 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 70.04 | 109.6 | 1.0 | 0.6 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding food and energy | 802.92 | 109.2 | 1.5 | –1.0 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 893.44 | 110.3 | 1.7 | –0.7 |
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 950.52 | 110.5 | 1.6 | –0.7 |
| Goods | 479.77 | 109.6 | 1.5 | –0.3 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 307.89 | 113.5 | 2.0 | 0.4 |
| Energy | 106.56 | 106.3 | 0.9 | 0.4 |
| Services | 520.23 | 110.0 | 1.6 | –1.1 |
| 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 | ||||
| 2016 A | 107.4 | 0.5 | − | |
| 2017 A | 109.3 | 1.8 | − | |
| 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 | |
| July | 109.4 | 1.7 | 0.4 | |
| August | 109.5 | 1.8 | 0.1 | |
| September | 109.6 | 1.8 | 0.1 | |
| October | 109.6 | 1.6 | 0.0 | |
| November | 109.9 | 1.8 | 0.3 | |
| December | 110.6 | 1.7 | 0.6 | |
| 2018 | January | 109.8 | 1.6 | –0.7 |
Harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, rose 1.4% in January 2018 on January 2017. Compared with December 2017, the index fell markedly by 1.0% in January 2018. This confirmed the HICP estimates of 30 January 2018.
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).
