Press release No. 132 of 16 April 2020
Consumer price index, March 2020
+1.4% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+0.1% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
Harmonised index of consumer prices, March 2020
+1.3% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+0.1% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
WIESBADEN - The inflation rate in Germany, measured as the year-on-year change in the consumer price index, stood at +1.4% in March 2020. This means that the inflation rate was down (January and February 2020: +1.7%). The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that consumer prices rose by 0.1% compared with February 2020.
Below-average increase of goods prices by 1.3% year on year
The prices of goods (total) rose by 1.3% from March 2019 to March 2020, which was below average. It was mainly due to a decrease of energy product prices by 0.9%. The sharpest decline was recorded for heating oil prices (-19.6%) due to the oil price slump in the world market observed since the beginning of the year. Consumers also benefited from lower motor fuel prices (-3.3%). Although the prices of mineral oil products fell considerably, some prices went up, for instance electricity (+4.5%) and natural gas prices (+2.3%). Food prices rose markedly by 3.7%. In this category, the prices of meat and meat products and those of fruit went up considerably (+8.8% each). In contrast, edible fats and oils cost less (-5.0%).
Inflation rate excluding heating oil and motor fuels at +1.6%
The sharply decreasing prices of mineral oil products had a downward effect on the inflation rate in March 2020. Excluding heating oil and motor fuel prices, the inflation rate would have been +1.6% in March 2020.
Service prices up 1.4% year on year
The prices of services (total) were up 1.4% in March 2020 compared with March 2019. Net rents exclusive of heating expenses, which are important as they account for large part of household final consumption expenditure, rose by 1.5%. While above-average price increases were recorded, among others, for services of social facilities (+4.8%) and the maintenance and repair of vehicles (+3.7%), there were price decreases for instance in education (-2.0%) and telecommunication (-0.6%).
Heating oil prices markedly down month on month
Compared with February 2020, the consumer price index rose by 0.1% in March 2020. However, energy prices declined by 2.2%, especially prices of heating oil (-10.1%) and motor fuels (-4.7%). In contrast, seasonally higher prices had to be paid for clothing (+4.0%).
Note on data quality:
Data collection for consumer price production in the statistical offices was affected only marginally by the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020 except for some regional bottlenecks. As a rule, prices are collected over a minimum period of one week around mid-month. Many shops were open and services were available up to that time. Therefore, the quality of the data is still guaranteed.
| Overall index / subindex | Weighting | Index 2015 = 100 | Change on the same period a month earlier | Change on the preceding month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in per mill | in per cent | |||
| 1: Results do not include charges. | ||||
| Overall index | 1,000.00 | 105.7 | 1.4 | 0.1 |
| Food and non-alcoholic-beverages | 96.85 | 110.4 | 3.6 | -0.1 |
| Food | 84.87 | 111.1 | 3.7 | -0.2 |
| Meat | 18.60 | 114.5 | 8.8 | 0.8 |
| Fruit | 8.88 | 113.0 | 8.8 | -1.1 |
| Vegetables | 11.08 | 114.1 | 2.2 | -2.2 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.77 | 111.7 | 1.8 | -0.2 |
| Clothing and footwear | 45.34 | 105.4 | 2.5 | 3.6 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 324.70 | 105.8 | 1.3 | -0.1 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 196.32 | 106.7 | 1.5 | 0.1 |
| Household energy | 68.82 | 102.1 | 0.2 | -1.0 |
| Electricity | 25.92 | 110.9 | 4.5 | 0.2 |
| Gas 1 | 13.53 | 97.2 | 2.3 | 0.1 |
| Heating oil 1 | 7.01 | 93.0 | -19.6 | -10.1 |
| Furniture, lighting equipment, appliances and other household equipment | 50.04 | 103.3 | 1.2 | 0.1 |
| Health | 46.13 | 105.8 | 1.3 | 0.2 |
| Transport | 129.05 | 105.4 | 0.3 | -1.2 |
| Motor fuels | 35.01 | 97.9 | -3.3 | -4.7 |
| Supergrade petrol | 25.66 | 96.7 | -1.9 | -4.5 |
| Diesel fuel | 8.64 | 101.2 | -6.9 | -5.5 |
| Communication | 26.72 | 95.7 | -0.5 | -0.2 |
| Recreation and culture | 113.36 | 99.8 | -0.3 | 0.4 |
| Package holidays | 26.62 | 85.2 | -3.4 | 1.9 |
| Education | 9.02 | 102.5 | -2.0 | 0.5 |
| Restaurant and accommodation services | 46.77 | 111.1 | 2.7 | 0.2 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 74.25 | 107.3 | 2.2 | 0.1 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding food and energy | 811.30 | 105.7 | 1.3 | 0.3 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 896.17 | 106.2 | 1.5 | 0.3 |
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 957.98 | 106.0 | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| Goods | 468.16 | 105.3 | 1.3 | -0.2 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 297.54 | 106.4 | 1.4 | -0.8 |
| Energy | 103.83 | 100.7 | -0.9 | -2.2 |
| Services | 531.84 | 106.0 | 1.4 | 0.2 |
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).
