Press release No. 300 of 14 August 2018
Consumer price index, July 2018
• +2.0% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
• +0.3% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
Harmonised index of consumer prices, July 2018
• +2.1% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
• +0.4% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
WIESBADEN - Consumer prices in Germany were 2.0% higher in July 2018 than in July 2017. The inflation rate – measured by the consumer price index – thus decreased slightly again. In the preceding two months, the inflation rate had been just over two percent (June 2018: +2.1%; May 2018: +2.2%). Compared with June 2018, the consumer price index rose by 0.3% in July 2018. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) thus confirms its provisional overall results of 30 July 2018.
The development of energy product prices had a considerable effect on the inflation rate in July 2018. The year-on-year increase in energy prices in July 2018 (+6.6%) was slightly higher than in June 2018: (+6.4%). The main reason for the price increase is the relatively low price a year ago (statistical base effect). Especially heating oil prices were up on a year earlier (+28.5%). Motor fuel prices increased substantially, too, compared with the same month of the previous year (+12.0%). The price changes for the other energy products were much smaller (for example, charges for central and district heating: +1.5%; electricity: +1.0%; gas: -1.3%). Excluding energy prices, the inflation rate would have been +1.5% in July 2018.
Food prices rose above average (+2.6%) from July 2017 to July 2018. In the last three months, the rate of price increase for food had been over three percent each. The price increases in July 2018 compared with the same month a year earlier affected all food groups. Prices were up on a year earlier especially for edible fats and oils (+6.4%) and for fruit (+5.5%). Consumers paid markedly more than a year earlier also for dairy products and eggs (+4.0%) and for vegetables (+3.1%). Excluding food and energy prices, the inflation rate would have been +1.4% in July 2018.
The prices of goods (total) increased by 2.4% in July 2018 on a year earlier, which was mainly due to the rise in energy prices (+6.6%) and food prices (+2.6%). Significant year-on-year price increases were also recorded for other goods such as newspapers and periodicals (+4.8%), beer (+4.0%) and tobacco products (+3.5%). Consumers benefited of lower prices of consumer electronics (-5.5%), information processing equipment (-4.2%) and clothing (-2.0%), among other things.
Prices of services (total) rose by 1.6% in July 2018 on a year earlier; this price increase was smaller than the one recorded for goods. A major factor contributing to the increase in service prices was the development of net rents exclusive of heating expenses (+1.6%), as households spend a large part of their consumption expenditure on this item. Also, there were notable price increases for package holidays (+4.2%), maintenance and repair of vehicles (+3.0%) and catering services in restaurants, cafes and the like (+2.2%). A marked price decrease was recorded for air tickets (-6.9%).
Change in July 2018 on June 2018
Compared with June 2018, the consumer price index increased by 0.3% in July 2018. In the holiday month of July, prices were up especially for package holidays (+19.3%, of which international holidays: +20.2%; domestic holidays: +8.3%) and air tickets (+4.4%).
Marked year-on-year price decreases were observed in July 2018 for clothing (-6.9%) and footwear (-4.1%). This development was mainly due to seasonal price reductions for summer articles.
Also, prices were slightly down in July 2018 for food as a whole (-0.5%) and energy as a whole (-0.1%). Seasonal food price decreases worth mentioning in July 2018 regarded fruit (-2.2%) and vegetables (-1.2%). As regards energy, consumers paid less for heating oil (-0.8%) in July 2018. Motor fuel prices fell just slightly on the previous month (-0.2%, including supergrade petrol:-0.2%; diesel fuel: -0.4%).
| Overall index ________ Year / Month | Index 2010 = 100 | Change on the same period a year earlier | Change on the previous month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in per cent | ||||
| A = annual average –= no figures or magnitude zero | ||||
| 2016 A | 107.4 | 0.5 | − | |
| 2017 A | 109.3 | 1.8 | − | |
| 2017 | 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 | |
| March | 110.7 | 1.6 | 0.4 | |
| April | 110.7 | 1.6 | 0.0 | |
| May | 111.2 | 2.2 | 0.5 | |
| June | 111.3 | 2.1 | 0.1 | |
| July | 111.6 | 2.0 | 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 | 111.6 | 2.0 | 0.3 |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 102.71 | 118.8 | 2.5 | -0.4 |
| Food | 90.52 | 119.1 | 2.6 | -0.5 |
| Meat | 20.76 | 117.8 | 1.8 | 0.2 |
| Fruit | 8.76 | 135.0 | 5.5 | -2.2 |
| Vegetables | 11.26 | 108.1 | 3.1 | -1.2 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.59 | 123.7 | 3.3 | 0.2 |
| Clothing and footwear | 44.93 | 101.8 | -1.5 | -5.9 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 317.29 | 111.7 | 2.0 | 0.1 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 209.93 | 111.6 | 1.6 | 0.1 |
| Household energy | 68.19 | 112.8 | 3.9 | -0.1 |
| Electricity | 26.21 | 129.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Gas | 14.46 | 101.9 | -1.3 | 0.0 |
| Heating oil | 11.11 | 103.3 | 28.5 | -0.8 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and so on | 49.78 | 104.9 | 0.7 | -0.2 |
| Health | 44.44 | 108.5 | 1.2 | 0.1 |
| Transport | 134.73 | 111.7 | 4.3 | 0.3 |
| Motor fuels | 38.37 | 104.4 | 12.0 | -0.2 |
| Supergrade petrol | 28.38 | 104.3 | 10.8 | -0.2 |
| Diesel fuel | 9.19 | 105.6 | 16.2 | -0.4 |
| Communication | 30.10 | 89.1 | -0.4 | -0.1 |
| Recreation and culture | 114.92 | 113.8 | 2.0 | 4.5 |
| Package holidays | 26.83 | 130.3 | 4.2 | 19.3 |
| Education | 8.80 | 98.0 | 2.8 | -0.1 |
| Restaurants and hotels | 44.67 | 118.3 | 2.0 | 0.0 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 70.04 | 110.5 | 0.8 | 0.1 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding food and energy | 802.92 | 111.0 | 1.4 | 0.5 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 893.44 | 111.8 | 1.5 | 0.3 |
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 950.52 | 112.0 | 1.4 | 0.3 |
| Goods | 479.77 | 110.6 | 2.4 | -0.6 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 307.89 | 115.2 | 3.8 | -0.2 |
| Energy | 106.56 | 109.8 | 6.6 | -0.1 |
| Services | 520.23 | 112.5 | 1.6 | 1.1 |
Harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, rose by 2.1% in July 2018 on July 2017. Compared with June 2018, the HICP increased by 0.4% in July 2018. This confirmed the HICP estimates of 30 July 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).
