Consumer price index increased in 2008

News
Posted on 8 January 2009, 10:00
According to Statistics Estonia, the percentage change of the consumer price index in 2008 compared to the average of 2007 was 10.4%.

In 2008 compared to the previous year, the prices of goods increased by 9.3%, of which the prices of food products by 14.7% and the prices of manufactured goods by 5.1%. The prices of services rose by 12.3%.

The consumer price index was mainly influenced by the increase in the expenditures on housing, as well as by the increase in the prices of food, motor fuel, alcoholic beverages and tobacco.

In 2008 compared to the average of the previous year, the prices of heat energy increased by 42.8%, the prices of dairy products by 23.2% and the prices of motor fuel by 21.3%. The prices of alcoholic beverages rose 14.2% and tobacco 20.7% — this was caused to a large extent by excise duty rates which increased twice during the year, but it was not the only reason.

Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, 2008

Commodity group 2007–2008, %
TOTAL 10.4
Food and non-alcoholic beverages 14.2
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco 15.9
Clothing and footwear 3.8
Housing 15.8
Household goods 4.4
Health 7.6
Transport 11.1
Communications -0.9
Recreation and culture 2.4
Education 8.5
Hotels, cafés and restaurants 13.3
Miscellaneous goods and services 8.9