Press release No. 100 of 11 March 2022
Consumer price index, February 2022
+5.1% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+0.9% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
Harmonised index of consumer prices, February 2022
+5.5% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+0.9% 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 (CPI), stood at +5.1% in February 2022, thus remaining at a high level. In January 2022, it had been +4.9%. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that consumer prices were up 0.9% on January 2022.
Crisis-related effects have impact on inflation rate
Delivery bottlenecks and significant price increases at upstream stages in the economic process, especially regarding energy products, had a major impact on the inflation rate recently. "The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic are increasingly superimposed by uncertainties related with the Russian attack on Ukraine,” emphasized Dr. Georg Thiel, President of the Federal Statistical Office.“The current price increases, especially for mineral oil products, are not yet reflected in the results for February 2022.”
Energy prices up 22.5% since February 2021
The prices of goods (total) rose by 7.9% from February 2021 to February 2022. Especially the rise in energy product prices (+22.5%) was markedly higher than overall inflation (January 2022: +20.5%). Motor fuel prices increased 25.8% and household energy prices 20.8%, year on year. Price rises were recorded especially for heating oil (+52.6%), natural gas (+35.7%) and electricity (+13.0%). The price increase for energy products was influenced by several factors. In addition to crisis-related effects, the increase in the CO2 charge from 25 euros to 30 euros per tonne of CO2 had an impact here.
5.3% increase in food prices compared with a year earlier
Food prices were up 5.3% in February 2022 compared with the same month of the previous year (January 2022: +5.0%). Consumers had to pay more especially for fresh vegetables (+11.0%) and for dairy products and butter (+6.7%).Marked price rises were observed not only for energy and food but also for plants and flowers (+8.7%), vehicles (+7.8%) and coffee products (+6.7%). The prices of non-durable consumer goods (total) increased by 10.5% and those of durable consumer goods by 3.0%.
Inflation rate excluding energy at +3.3%
The year-on-year increases in energy prices had a massive effect on the inflation rate. Excluding energy prices, the inflation rate in February 2022 would have been +3.3%; excluding energy and food prices, it would have been +3.0%.
Service prices up 2.8% year on year
In February 2022, the prices of services (total) increased by 2.8% on February 2021 and thus remained below overall inflation. Net rents exclusive of heating expenses, which are important as they account for a large part of household consumption expenditure, rose by 1.5% and thus had a downward effect on the overall inflation rate. In addition, price decreases were observed for telecommunications (-1.0%) and for services of social facilities (-2.4%), the latter being due to the implementation of the long-term care reform adopted in June 2021. However, the prices of some services were markedly up, including maintenance and repair of dwellings and residential buildings (+10.1%) and of vehicles (+5.3%).
Month-on-month price increase of 0.9% due to higher energy prices
Compared with January 2022, the consumer price index rose by 0.9% in February 2022. Energy product prices increased again (+3.1%); consumers paid more especially for heating oil (+7.0%) and motor fuels (+3.8%). Food prices increased, too (+1.0%, including vegetables: +3.9%). A considerable price increase was also recorded for package holidays (+9.4%).
Methodological notes:
Again, a number of prices could not be collected on a monthly basis due to the measures taken to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the quality requirements were met. Where quality reductions were observed for specific product groups, the relevant results have been marked accordingly. More information is contained in a methodological paper.
The Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences for public life also require a changed approach to the annual updating of the product weights used in the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP). Another methodological paper which discusses this issue is provided on the website of the Federal Statistical Office. The updating of the HICP product weights explains a considerable part of the difference between the CPI and the HICP for Germany.
| 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 | |||
1: Results do not include charges. ( ) Limited informational value due to somewhat limited statistical reliability as imputation rates are high (over 50%). | ||||
| Overall index | 1,000.00 | 112.5 | 5.1 | 0.9 |
| Food and non-alcoholic-beverages | 96.85 | 117.8 | 5.1 | 0.9 |
| Food | 84.87 | 118.9 | 5.3 | 1.0 |
| Meat and meat products | 18.60 | 120.5 | 4.1 | 0.2 |
| Fruit | 8.88 | 117.8 | 2.2 | -0.1 |
| Vegetables | 11.08 | 128.6 | 10.1 | 3.9 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.77 | 119.1 | 3.7 | 0.6 |
| Clothing and footwear | 45.34 | 101.2 | (-1.1) | 0.3 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 324.70 | 113.1 | 5.8 | 0.8 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 196.32 | 109.6 | 1.5 | 0.2 |
| Household energy | 68.82 | 123.6 | 20.8 | 2.7 |
| Electricity | 25.92 | 125.4 | 13.0 | 1.8 |
| Gas 1 | 13.53 | 134.5 | 35.7 | 2.9 |
| Heating oil 1 | 7.01 | 159.6 | 52.6 | 7.0 |
| Furniture, lighting equipment, appliances and other household equipment | 50.04 | 108.9 | (4.0) | 1.0 |
| Health | 46.13 | 106.3 | 0.8 | 0.1 |
| Transport | 129.05 | 121.0 | 11.2 | 1.6 |
| Motor fuels | 35.01 | 132.3 | 25.8 | 3.8 |
| Supergrade petrol | 25.66 | 128.5 | 24.2 | 3.8 |
| Diesel fuel | 8.64 | 142.1 | 29.4 | 3.9 |
| Communication | 26.72 | 94.3 | -0.1 | -0.1 |
| Recreation and culture | 113.36 | 105.7 | 4.8 | 1.9 |
| Package holidays | 26.62 | 89.7 | (11.2) | 9.4 |
| Education | 9.02 | 105.6 | 1.7 | 0.1 |
| Restaurant and accommodation services | 46.77 | 118.2 | (5.1) | 0.6 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 74.25 | 112.4 | 2.2 | 0.3 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding food and energy | 811.30 | 110.1 | 3.0 | 0.6 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 896.17 | 110.9 | 3.3 | 0.6 |
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 957.98 | 111.5 | 4.1 | 0.8 |
| Goods | 468.16 | 115.0 | 7.9 | 1.3 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 297.54 | 119.9 | 10.5 | 1.7 |
| Energy | 103.83 | 126.5 | 22.5 | 3.1 |
| Services | 531.84 | 110.3 | 2.8 | 0.5 |
More information:
Using our Personal Inflation Calculator, you may compare the official inflation rate with your personal one by modifying the monthly expenditure on some products so that these correspond better to your own consumer habits.
The consumer price index results are also available on the Corona statistics webpage (www.destatis.de/corona) of the Federal Statistical Office together with other indicators which can be used to assess the economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. The consumer price index also forms part of the Crisis Monitor (www.destatis.de/krisenmonitor), by means of which the Federal Statistical Office compares the development of major short-term indicators in the Covid-19 crisis and the financial and economic crisis of 2008/2009.
The Russian attack on Ukraine and the relevant sanctions against Russia have a strong impact on the economy, population and the energy sector. Data and information on the areas affected are provided on a special webpage.
More information on consumer price statistics is contained in Fachserie 17, Reihe 7 "Verbraucherpreise für Deutschland". Detailed results can also be found in the tables on the consumer price index (61111-0004) and (61111-0006) and on the harmonised index of consumer prices (61121-0002) and (61121-0004) in the GENESIS-Online database.
