Press release No. 090 of 14 March 2018
Consumer price index, February 2018
- +1.4% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
- +0.5% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
Harmonised index of consumer prices, February 2018
- +1.2% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
- +0.5% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
WIESBADEN – Consumer prices in Germany were 1.4% higher in February 2018 than in February 2017. The inflation rate – measured by the consumer price index – thus decreased for the third consecutive month. In January 2018, it had been +1.6%. Compared with January 2018, the consumer price index rose by 0.5% in February 2018. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) thus confirms its provisional overall results of 27 February 2018.
In February 2018, energy prices as a whole were only slightly above the previous year's level (+0.1%) and had a downward effect on the overall inflation rate. In January 2018, the rate of energy price increase had been +0.9%. In the period from February 2017 to February 2018, price increases were recorded for electricity (+1.5%) and charges for central and district heating (+1.3%). In contrast, the prices of gas (−1.4%), solid fuels (−0.6%) and mineral oil products (−0.5%; of which motor fuels: −0.6%; heating oil: −0.2%) went down over the same period. Excluding energy prices, the inflation rate in February 2018 would have been +1.5%.
The development of food prices was another major reason for the moderate inflation growth. The year-on-year increase in food prices (+1.1%) slowed markedly in February 2018 (January 2018: +3.1%). Compared with the previous year, higher prices were recorded especially for dairy products and eggs (+10.2%), edible fats and oils (+8.9%) and fruit (+6.7%) in February 2018. The prices of, for example, vegetables moved in the opposite direction; they saw a sharp decline of –17.1%. This was mainly due to the high vegetable prices a year ago which were caused by low temperatures in southern Europe at that time. Excluding energy and food prices, the inflation rate would have been +1.6% in February 2018.
Compared with the overall inflation rate, the prices of goods as a whole increased below average by 1.0% in February 2018 on February 2017, which was mainly due to the small rise in energy prices (+0.1%) and food prices (+1.1%). More significant year-on-year price increases were recorded for other goods, especially for newspapers and periodicals (+4.7%) and tobacco products (+4.5%). Lower prices were however recorded, for example, for information processing equipment (–3.0%) and consumer electronics (–2.4%).
Prices of services (total) rose by 1.6% in February 2018 on a year earlier; this price increase was far larger than that recorded for goods. The price rise was mainly due to the increase in net rents exclusive of heating expenses which, compared with a year earlier, also amounted to 1.6% in February 2018. In addition, slightly larger price increases were observed, for example, for maintenance and repair of vehicles (+3.1%) and for catering services in restaurants, cafes and the like (+2.2%). Prices were however down for a few services such as telecommunication services (–0.8%).
Change in February 2018 on January 2018
Compared with January 2018, the consumer price index rose by 0.5% in February 2018. To a large extent, this increase was attributable to higher prices of package holidays (+10.3%). In addition, marked month-on-month price increases were recorded for cut flowers (+4.9%), clothing (+3.4%) and beer (+1.8%).
The prices of energy as a whole were however down 0.5% in February 2018 month on month. This was mainly due to the considerable decline in heating oil prices (–5.0%). The prices of all other energy products remained nearly unchanged compared with the previous month (for example gas: –0.2%; electricity and motor fuels: +0.1% each).
The prices of food (total) declined by 0.1% in February 2018 month on month. A decline was above all recorded in the prices of edible fats and oils (–5.3%) and especially in butter prices which were down 9.7% in February 2018 on the previous month. Consumers also paid less for vegetables (–1.4%) and fish and fish products (–1.2%).
| Overall index ________ Year / Month | Index 2010 = 100 | Change on the same period a year earlier | 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 | 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 |
| February | 110.3 | 1.4 | 0.5 | |
| 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 | 110.3 | 1.4 | 0.5 |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 102.71 | 119.0 | 1.1 | –0.2 |
| Food | 90.52 | 119.5 | 1.1 | –0.1 |
| Meat | 20.76 | 117.6 | 2.7 | 0.4 |
| Fruit | 8.76 | 138.0 | 6.7 | 0.1 |
| Vegetables | 11.26 | 110.2 | –17.1 | –1.4 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.59 | 120.8 | 3.2 | 0.4 |
| Clothing and footwear | 44.93 | 105.4 | 2.2 | 2.3 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 317.29 | 110.7 | 1.4 | –0.1 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 209.93 | 110.9 | 1.6 | 0.1 |
| Household energy | 68.19 | 110.7 | 0.6 | –0.6 |
| Electricity | 26.21 | 129.0 | 1.5 | 0.1 |
| Gas | 14.46 | 102.7 | –1.4 | –0.2 |
| Heating oil | 11.11 | 91.0 | –0.2 | –5.0 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and so on | 49.78 | 104.8 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Health | 44.44 | 107.8 | 1.3 | 0.2 |
| Transport | 134.73 | 108.9 | 1.2 | 0.2 |
| Motor fuels | 38.37 | 97.3 | –0.6 | 0.1 |
| Supergrade petrol | 28.38 | 97.2 | –1.4 | 0.4 |
| Diesel fuel | 9.19 | 98.0 | 1.2 | –0.7 |
| Communication | 30.10 | 89.4 | –0.7 | –0.1 |
| Recreation and culture | 114.92 | 108.7 | 1.2 | 2.2 |
| Package holidays | 26.83 | 110.6 | 1.7 | 10.3 |
| Education | 8.80 | 97.8 | 2.7 | 0.1 |
| Restaurants and hotels | 44.67 | 116.8 | 2.1 | 0.3 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 70.04 | 109.9 | 1.1 | 0.3 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding food and energy | 802.92 | 109.8 | 1.6 | 0.5 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 893.44 | 110.8 | 1.5 | 0.5 |
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 950.52 | 111.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 |
| Goods | 479.77 | 109.7 | 1.0 | 0.1 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 307.89 | 113.4 | 1.2 | –0.1 |
| Energy | 106.56 | 105.8 | 0.1 | –0.5 |
| Services | 520.23 | 110.7 | 1.6 | 0.6 |
Harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, rose by 1.2% in February 2018 on February 2017. Compared with January 2018, the index was up 0.5% in February 2018. This confirmed the HICP estimates of 27 February 2018.
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).
