Press release No. 264 of 11 July 2019
Consumer price index, June 2019
+1.6% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+0.3% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
Harmonised index of consumer prices, June 2019
+1.5% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result: +1.3%)
+0.3% on the previous month (provisional result: +0.1%)
WIESBADEN – Consumer prices in Germany rose 1.6% in June 2019 compared with June 2018. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that the inflation rate - as measured by the consumer price index - was slightly up. In May 2019, it had been +1.4%. Compared with May 2019, the consumer price index rose by 0.3% in June 2019. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) thus confirms its provisional overall results for the CPI. The provisional results of 27 June 2019 regarding the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) are corrected upwards by the final results.
Energy product prices rose 2.5% from June 2018 to June 2019. The increase in energy prices thus was smaller than in May 2019 (+4.2%). The prices of district heating (+5.6%), natural gas (+4.1%) and electricity (+3.4%) were markedly higher than a year earlier. Motor fuel prices, too, were up on a year earlier (+1.2%). Heating oil prices fell markedly (-3.5%). Excluding energy prices, the inflation rate in June 2019 would have been +1.6% as well.
The higher inflation rate in June 2019 was caused in particular by package holiday prices rising again (+6.1%; May 2019: -9.0%). The main reason here is the calendar effect as Whitsun fell late this year compared with the previous year.
Food prices rose below average (+1.2%) from June 2018 to June 2019. However, the price increase accelerated slightly on the previous month (May 2019: +0.9%). Vegetable prices increased substantially in June 2019 year on year (+9.6%). Price rises were also recorded, for instance, for fish, fish products and seafood (+3.0%), meat and meat products (+2.8%) and bread and cereals (+2.2%). In contrast, prices fell considerably for edible fats and oils (-9.3%) and for fruit (-6.1%).
The prices of goods (total) were 1.5% higher in June 2019 than in the same month a year earlier. In addition to the price rises for energy products (+2.5%) and food (+1.2%), higher price increases were recorded for some other products (for instance, newspapers and periodicals: +4.6%; tobacco products: +3.4%). However, prices were down for some goods such as telephones (-6.9%) and consumer electronics (-6.1%).
Compared with goods prices, the prices of services rose more strongly year on year (+1.9%) in June 2019. Apart from the distinct price increase for package holidays (+6.1%), prices rose markedly also for services of social facilities (+5.2%), maintenance and repair of vehicles (+4.7%) and rail tickets (+3.6%). Another 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. In contrast, an unusually large price decrease was recorded for pre-primary education services (-12.2%), which was due especially to the reduction of childcare costs in some Länder.
Change in June 2019 on May 2019
Compared with May 2019, the consumer price index increased by 0.3% in June 2019. Especially the prices of package holidays (+18.6%) were up on the previous month. Other prices increasing at the beginning of the summer travel season and as a result of Whitsun are those of air tickets (+2.6%, including international flights: +2.9%), rail tickets (+1.6%) and accommodation (+0.9%).
Food prices remained nearly unchanged (+0.1%). The prices of energy (total) were down 1.1% month on month. In particular, prices fell for heating oil (-7.3%) and motor fuels (-1.9%). Consumers also benefited from lower clothing and footwear prices (-1.7%), which was partly due to first discounts given on spring and summer articles.
| 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. | ||||
| Overall index | 1,000.00 | 105.7 | 1.6 | 0.3 |
| Food and non-alcoholic-beverages | 96.85 | 107.2 | 1.0 | 0.1 |
| Food | 84.87 | 107.7 | 1.2 | 0.1 |
| Meat | 18.60 | 107.2 | 2.8 | 1.2 |
| Fruit | 8.88 | 105.5 | -6.1 | 0.3 |
| Vegetables | 11.08 | 112.3 | 9.6 | -1.1 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 37.77 | 111.0 | 2.1 | 0.1 |
| Clothing and footwear | 45.34 | 102.9 | 1.6 | -1.7 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 324.70 | 104.8 | 1.8 | -0.1 |
| Net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 196.32 | 105.5 | 1.4 | 0.1 |
| Household energy | 68.82 | 102.0 | 3.1 | -0.8 |
| Electricity | 25.92 | 106.8 | 3.4 | 0.1 |
| Gas1 | 13.53 | 95.7 | 4.1 | 0.1 |
| Heating oil1 | 7.01 | 111.3 | -3.5 | -7.3 |
| Furniture, lighting equipment, appliances and other household equipment | 50.04 | 102.4 | 0.6 | -0.1 |
| Health | 46.13 | 104.5 | 1.1 | 0.1 |
| Transport | 129.05 | 107.6 | 2.1 | -0.4 |
| Motor fuels | 35.01 | 108.4 | 1.2 | -1.9 |
| Supergrade petrol | 25.66 | 108.5 | 2.3 | -1.5 |
| Diesel fuel | 8.64 | 108.6 | -1.9 | -3.2 |
| Communication | 26.72 | 95.5 | -1.1 | -0.2 |
| Recreation and culture | 113.36 | 107.3 | 2.2 | 4.1 |
| Package holidays | 26.62 | 118.2 | 6.1 | 18.6 |
| Education | 9.02 | 102.7 | -2.1 | -1.8 |
| Restaurant and accommodation services | 46.77 | 109.9 | 2.8 | 0.4 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 74.25 | 105.8 | 2.1 | 0.0 |
| Overall index | ||||
| Excluding food and energy | 811.30 | 105.7 | 1.6 | 0.5 |
| Excluding energy (household energy and motor fuels) | 896.17 | 105.9 | 1.6 | 0.5 |
| Excluding heating oil and motor fuels | 957.98 | 105.6 | 1.7 | 0.5 |
| Goods | 468.16 | 104.8 | 1.5 | -0.5 |
| Non-durable consumer goods | 297.54 | 106.3 | 1.8 | -0.4 |
| Energy | 103.83 | 104.2 | 2.5 | -1.1 |
| Services | 531.84 | 106.5 | 1.9 | 0.9 |
Harmonised index of consumer prices for Germany
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, rose by 1.5% in June 2019 on June 2018. Compared with May 2019, the HICP increased by 0.3% in June 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).
