Press release No. 062 of 21 February 2019
Consumer price index, January 2019
+1.4% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
-0.8% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
Harmonised index of consumer prices, January 2019
+1.7% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
-1.0% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
WIESBADEN - Consumer prices in Germany were 1.4% higher in January 2019 than in January 2018. The inflation rate – measured by the consumer price index – thus decreased (December 2018: +1.6%). Compared with December 2018, the consumer price index fell markedly by 0.8% in January 2019.
The main reason for the inflation rate being lower than in the previous month was the development of energy product prices. Energy prices rose 2.3% in January 2019 on January 2018. The increase in energy prices thus slowed again (December 2018: +4.9%; November 2018: +8.7%). A glance at the individual energy products shows that the prices of electricity, gas and other fuels were up 3.3% from January 2018 to January 2019. Motor fuel prices rose 0.3% over the same period. Excluding energy prices, the inflation rate in January 2019 would have been +1.3%.
Food prices increased by 0.8% from January 2018 to January 2019. The rise in food prices was thus smaller than the overall price increase. Vegetable prices, in particular, were up on a year earlier (+6.3%). Consumers had to pay more also for some other food groups (for example, fish and fish products: +2.4%; bread and cereals: +1.7%). In January 2019, year-on-year price decreases were recorded especially for fruit (-5.1%) and dairy products (-1.3%).
The prices of goods (total) were up 1.3% in January 2019 compared with the same month a year earlier. Prices of services (total) rose slightly more strongly (+1.4%) over the same period. As regards goods, prices were up not only for energy (+2.3%) and food (+0.8%) but also, among other things, for newspapers and periodicals (+4.9%) as well as beer and tobacco products (+3.0% each). However, there were also some goods that showed price decreases as, for example, telephones (-8.3%), consumer electronics (-5.9%) and information processing equipment (-5.3%). A major factor contributing to the development of service prices was the increase in net rents exclusive of heating expenses (+1.5%), as households spend a large part of their consumption expenditure on this item. Larger price increases were observed, for example, for services of social facilities (+4.4%), maintenance and repair of vehicles (+3.0%) and for catering services in restaurants, cafes and the like (+2.2%).
Change in January 2019 on December 2018
A major reason for the 0.8% decrease in prices in January 2019 on December 2018 was seasonal factors. Especially package holiday prices (-24.6%) in January 2019 were lower than in the vacation month of December. Also, the prices of clothing (-6.0%) and footwear (-3.1%) were markedly down on the previous month, which was especially due to the discounts given on the winter collection.
Prices of energy (total) in January 2019 also decreased on the previous month (-2.0%). In particular, prices were markedly down again for motor fuels (-7.3%) and heating oil (-5.2%). Month-on-month price increases were observed for food (+0.6%) and especially for vegetables (+2.7%).
Note: revision of the consumer price index for Germany
The consumer price index is revised and a new base year introduced at regular intervals. From reference month January 2019, the index has been rebased from 2010 to base year 2015. In the process, weighting patterns have been updated and methodological changes implemented. The results for reference month January 2019 now refer to the new base year 2015. The procedure also includes a recalculation of the consumer price index for Germany from January 2015. The following table compares the new and old rates of price increase for the years 2018, 2017 and 2016:
| Base year | A | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A = annual average | |||||||||||||
| 2018 | |||||||||||||
| 2015 (new) | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 1.6 |
| 2010 (old) | 1.9 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 1.7 |
| 2017 | |||||||||||||
| 2015 (new) | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.4 |
| 2010 (old) | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.7 |
| 2016 | |||||||||||||
| 2015 (new) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.3 | -0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.5 |
| 2010 (old) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | -0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.7 |
More detailed information on the revision of the consumer price index will be available here at 10 a.m.
| Overall index / subindex | Weighting | Index 2015 = 100 | Change on the same period a year earlier | Change on the preceding month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in per mill | in per cent | |||
1The results exclude the relevant charges. A = annual average | ||||
| Overall index | 1,000.00 | 103.4 | 1.4 | -0.8 |
| Food and non-alcoholic-beverages | 96.85 | 106.6 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
| Food | 84.87 | 107.2 | 0.8 | 0.6 |
| Meat | 18.60 | 105.1 | 1.3 | 0.3 |
| Fruit | 8.88 | 105.0 | -5.1 | -0.5 |
| Vegetables | 11.08 | 112.0 | 6.3 | 2.7 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.77 | 108.9 | 2.7 | 0.2 |
| Clothing and footwear | 45.34 | 98.0 | 1.4 | -4.9 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 324.70 | 104.1 | 1.9 | 0.4 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 196.32 | 104.9 | 1.5 | 0.2 |
| Household energy | 68.82 | 101.2 | 3.3 | 0.8 |
| Electricity | 25.92 | 105.5 | 2.4 | 2.0 |
| Gas1 | 13.53 | 94.6 | 2.0 | 2.8 |
| Heating oil1 | 7.01 | 113.8 | 7.3 | -5.2 |
| Furniture, lighting equipment, appliances and other household equipment | 50.04 | 102.2 | 0.6 | 0.0 |
| Health | 46.13 | 103.9 | 0.9 | 0.2 |
| Transport | 129.05 | 104.4 | 1.7 | -1.9 |
| Motor fuels | 35.01 | 99.9 | 0.3 | -7.3 |
| Supergrade petrol | 25.66 | 97.7 | -0.7 | -7.6 |
| Diesel fuel | 8.64 | 106.3 | 3.1 | -7.2 |
| Communication | 26.72 | 96.2 | -0.9 | -0.1 |
| Recreation and culture | 113.36 | 96.8 | 0.2 | -5.2 |
| Package holidays | 26.62 | 73.9 | -1.6 | -24.6 |
| Education | 9.02 | 104.4 | 0.0 | 1.8 |
| Restaurant and accommodation services | 46.77 | 107.6 | 2.2 | 0.2 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 74.25 | 104.8 | 2.0 | 0.7 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding food and energy | 811.30 | 103.3 | 1.3 | -0.8 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 896.17 | 103.7 | 1.3 | -0.6 |
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 957.98 | 103.4 | 1.4 | -0.5 |
| Goods | 468.16 | 103.2 | 1.3 | -0.8 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 297.54 | 104.4 | 1.7 | -0.5 |
| Energy | 103.83 | 100.8 | 2.3 | -2.0 |
| Services | 531.84 | 103.5 | 1.4 | -0.9 |
Harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, rose by 1.7% in January 2019 on January 2018. Compared with December 2018, the index fell markedly by 1.0% in January 2019.
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).
In the context of the revision, the Price Monitor (only in german), too, was rebased to base year 2015. Taking as an example selected and frequently purchased goods and services, the Price Monitor shows the development of consumer prices.
