Press release No. 343 of 13 September 2018
Consumer price index, August 2018
- +2.0% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
- +0.1% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
Harmonised index of consumer prices, August 2018
- +1.9% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
- 0.0% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
WIESBADEN – Consumer prices in Germany were 2.0% higher in August 2018 than in August 2017. The inflation rate – measured by the consumer price index – thus reached the two percent mark for the fourth consecutive month. Compared with July 2018, the consumer price index was up 0.1% in August 2018. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) thus confirms its provisional overall results of 30 August 2018.
As in the preceding months, the increase of energy product prices had a considerable effect on the inflation rate. Energy prices were 6.9% higher in August 2018 than in August 2017 (July 2018: +6.6%). The prices of heating oil (+29.7%) and motor fuels (+12.4%), in particular, were higher than a year earlier. While the prices of mineral oil products rose sharply, relatively moderate price developments were observed for other energy products (for example, charges for central and district heating: +2.0%; electricity: +1.0%; gas: -1.5%). Excluding energy prices, the inflation rate would have been +1.5% in August 2018.
Food prices rose by 2.5% from August 2017 to August 2018. In contrast to the increase in energy prices, this had only a slight upward effect on the overall inflation rate. The food price increases of August 2018 on the same month a year earlier affected all food groups. Prices were higher year on year especially for fruit (+4.7%), dairy products and eggs (+4.0%). Consumers paid markedly more than a year earlier also for vegetables (+3.5%) and for edible fats and oils (+3.0%). Excluding food and energy prices, the inflation rate would have been +1.3% in August 2018.
Compared with the overall inflation rate, the prices of goods as a whole increased by an above-average 2.7% in August 2018 on a year earlier, which was mainly due to the rise in energy prices (+6.9%) and food prices (+2.5%). Significant year-on-year price increases were also recorded for other goods such as beer (+5.1%), newspapers and periodicals (+4.5%) and tobacco products (+3.2%). Consumers benefited in particular of lower consumer electronics prices (-4.8%).
The year-on-year increase in service prices as a whole (+1.4%) was notably smaller in August 2018 year on year than the increase in goods prices. The development of service prices had a downward effect on the inflation rate. A major factor contributing to the rise 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. Somewhat larger price increases were observed, for example, for recreational and sporting services (+2.9%) and for the maintenance and repair of vehicles (+2.8%). In contrast, prices were down for pre-primary and primary education services (-13.0%), which was due especially to the fact that some Länder did no longer have to bear childcare costs. There were sizeable price decreases also for air tickets (-6.2%) in August 2018 year on year.
Change in August 2018 on July 2018
Compared with July 2018, the consumer price index rose only slightly by 0.1% in August 2018. Prices of energy (total) rose by 0.7% month on month. Here, prices were up for both heating oil (+2.8%) and motor fuels (+1.2%). More substantial price increases were observed for clothing (+3.9%), especially because the autumn/winter collection has started to arrive.
As in the year-on-year comparison, there was a notable decrease in the prices of pre-primary and primary education services (-18.2%) on the previous month. The month-on-month prices of package holidays also declined considerably (-3.5%). Prices of food (total) were slightly lower (-0.3%), which also benefited consumers. Prices were down especially for vegetables (-1.9%) and edible fats and oils (-1.3%).
| 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 | 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 | |
| August | 111.7 | 2.0 | 0.1 | |
| 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 | 111.7 | 2.0 | 0.1 |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 102.71 | 118.5 | 2.4 | -0.3 |
| Food | 90.52 | 118.8 | 2.5 | -0.3 |
| Meat | 20.76 | 117.5 | 1.4 | -0.3 |
| Fruit | 8.76 | 134.1 | 4.7 | -0.7 |
| Vegetables | 11.26 | 106.1 | 3.5 | -1.9 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.59 | 123.8 | 3.3 | 0.1 |
| Clothing and footwear | 44.93 | 105.0 | -0.8 | 3.1 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 317.29 | 111.9 | 2.1 | 0.2 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 209.93 | 111.7 | 1.6 | 0.1 |
| Household energy | 68.19 | 113.5 | 4.3 | 0.6 |
| Electricity | 26.21 | 129.4 | 1.0 | 0.1 |
| Gas | 14.46 | 101.8 | -1.5 | -0.1 |
| Heating oil | 11.11 | 106.2 | 29.7 | 2.8 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and so on | 49.78 | 104.8 | 0.8 | -0.1 |
| Health | 44.44 | 108.6 | 1.2 | 0.1 |
| Transport | 134.73 | 112.0 | 4.2 | 0.3 |
| Motor fuels | 38.37 | 105.7 | 12.4 | 1.2 |
| Supergrade petrol | 28.38 | 105.8 | 11.6 | 1.4 |
| Diesel fuel | 9.19 | 106.4 | 15.5 | 0.8 |
| Communication | 30.10 | 89.0 | -0.7 | -0.1 |
| Recreation and culture | 114.92 | 112.9 | 1.6 | -0.8 |
| Package holidays | 26.83 | 125.7 | 1.9 | -3.5 |
| Education | 8.80 | 91.6 | -3.9 | -6.5 |
| Restaurants and hotels | 44.67 | 118.4 | 2.0 | 0.1 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 70.04 | 110.5 | 0.8 | 0.0 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding food and energy | 802.92 | 111.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 893.44 | 111.8 | 1.5 | 0.0 |
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 950.52 | 112.0 | 1.4 | 0.0 |
| Goods | 479.77 | 111.1 | 2.7 | 0.5 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 307.89 | 115.4 | 3.9 | 0.2 |
| Energy | 106.56 | 110.6 | 6.9 | 0.7 |
| Services | 520.23 | 112.2 | 1.4 | -0.3 |
Harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany
the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, rose by 1.9% in August 2018 on August 2017. Compared with July 2018, the HICP remained unchanged in August 2018. This confirmed the HICP estimates of 30 August 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).
