Press Consumer prices in October 2019: +1.1% on October 2018 Prices of mineral oil products have downward effect on inflation rate again

Press release No. 434 of 13 November 2019

Consumer price index, October 2019

+1.1% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)

+0.1% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)



Harmonised index of consumer prices, October 2019

+0.9% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)

+0.1% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)

WIESBADEN – Consumer prices in Germany were up 1.1% in October 2019 compared with October 2018. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that the inflation rate - as measured by the consumer price index - decreased again (September 2019: +1.2%). Compared with September 2019, the consumer prices increased by 0.1% in October 2019.

Energy product prices fell by 2.1% from October 2018 to October 2019. The decrease in energy price thus accelerated (September 2019: -1.1%). Especially the price development for mineral oil products had a downward effect on the inflation rate in October 2019. Prices were substantially down both for heating oil (-15.8%) and for motor fuels (-7.5%). In contrast, prices were markedly up on a year earlier for some energy products (for example, natural gas: +5.1%; electricity: +3.9%). Excluding energy prices, the inflation rate in October 2019 would have been +1.4%; excluding the prices of mineral oil products, it would have been as much as +1.6%.

The prices of food were up 1.1% in October 2019 compared with the same month a year earlier. Prices were higher year on year, among other things, for meat and meat products (+4.9%), fish, fish products and seafood (+3.3%) as well as bread and cereals (+2.6%). In contrast, the prices of edible fats and oils fell substantially (-11.6%). Consumers paid less than a year earlier also for vegetables (-2.8%).

The prices of goods (total) were 0.4% higher in October 2019 than in the same month a year earlier. Apart from the rather moderate increase of food prices (+1.1%), prices were up, among other things, for newspapers and periodicals (+5.1%) and tobacco products (+4.1%). Prices fell not only for mineral oil products (-9.1%) but also for information processing equipment (-7.1%), consumer electronics (-5.4%) and telephones (-5.1%).

Service prices rose much more strongly (+1.7%) than goods prices (+0.4%) from October 2018 to October 2019. The development of service prices thus had an upward effect on the inflation rate. A major factor contributing to the development of service prices was the increase in net rents exclusive of heating expenses (+1.4%), as households spend a large part of their consumption expenditure on this item. Larger price increases were observed, for example, for services of social facilities (+5.2%), maintenance and repair of vehicles (+5.0%), hairdresser services and other services for personal care (+3.0%) and for catering services in restaurants, cafés and the like (+2.8%). The prices of some services were down, among them telecommunication services (-0.5%).

Change in October 2019 on September 2019

Compared with September 2019, the consumer price index rose just slightly by 0.1% in October 2019. Month-on-month price increases were recorded, for instance, for footwear (+2.3%) and for clothing (+0.9%). The prices of energy as a whole went down slightly (-0.1%), especially heating oil prices decreased (-0.8%).

Food prices (total) fell 0.4% in October 2019 compared with the previous month. Vegetable prices, in particular, were down on a month earlier (-3.8%).

Consumer price index for Germany October 2019 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 Results do not include charges. Overall index 1,000.00 106.1 1.1 0.1 Food and non-alcoholic-beverages 96.85 107.1 0.9 -0.4 Food 84.87 107.7 1.1 -0.4 Meat 18.60 109.3 4.9 0.2 Fruit 8.88 109.2 2.3 0.5 Vegetables 11.08 104.7 -2.8 -3.8 Alcoholic beverages and tobacco 37.77 111.8 2.5 0.3 Clothing and footwear 45.34 106.6 1.0 1.2 Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels 324.70 105.4 1.4 0.2 Net rent exclusive of heating expenses 196.32 106.0 1.4 0.2 Household energy 68.82 102.7 1.0 0.0 Electricity 25.92 107.3 3.9 0.0 Gas 1 13.53 96.5 5.1 0.4 Heating oil 1 7.01 114.6 -15.8 -0.8 Furniture, lighting equipment, appliances and other household equipment 50.04 103.0 0.9 0.3 Health 46.13 104.7 1.0 0.1 Transport 129.05 106.5 -0.6 0.0 Motor fuels 35.01 103.6 -7.5 -0.2 Supergrade petrol 25.66 101.9 -7.6 -0.6 Diesel fuel 8.64 108.9 -7.6 0.8 Communication 26.72 95.8 -0.4 0.0 Recreation and culture 113.36 106.9 0.6 -0.5 Package holidays 26.62 116.5 1.5 -2.0 Education 9.02 102.3 -0.2 0.0 Restaurant and accommodation services 46.77 110.2 2.7 0.0 Miscellaneous goods and services 74.25 106.9 2.7 0.5 Overall index Excluding food and energy 811.30 106.3 1.5 0.1 Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) 896.17 106.4 1.4 0.1 Excluding heating oil and motor fuels 957.98 106.1 1.6 0.1 Goods 468.16 105.1 0.4 0.1 Non-durable consumer goods 297.54 106.0 0.3 -0.1 Energy 103.83 103.0 -2.1 -0.1 Services 531.84 106.9 1.7 0.0

Harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany

The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, was 0.9% higher in October 2019 than in October 2018. Compared with September 2019, the HICP increased by 0.1% in October 2019.

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).