The monthly change of the consumer price index in October was mainly influenced by the price decrease of motor fuel

News
Posted on 7 November 2013, 10:00

According to Statistics Estonia, the change of the consumer price index in October 2013 was –0.3% compared to September 2013 and 1.5% compared to October of the previous year.

Goods were 0.8% and services 2.9% more expensive compared to October of the previous year.

Regulated prices of goods and services have decreased by 1.6% and non-regulated prices have risen by 2.6% compared to October of the previous year.

Compared to October 2012, the consumer price index was mainly influenced by electricity, transport and food, whereas the price decrease of transport cancelled out half of the increase caused by electricity and food. The electricity that arrived at homes was 29.9% more expensive than a year before. 2.4% more expensive meat and meat products and 3.1% more expensive milk and dairy products each gave about a quarter, and 9.5% more expensive fish and fish products and 2.4% more expensive flour and flour products each gave a sixth of the impact of food on the index. In October 2013, motor fuel was 7.6% cheaper than the year earlier. Compared to October 2012, of food products, the prices of canned fish have increased the most (14%) and the prices of coffee and sugar have decreased the most (16% and 14%, respectively). The annual change of the consumer price index was last below 1.6% in February 2010, when it was –0.1%.

In October compared to September, the consumer price index was mainly influenced by the 2.9% price decrease of motor fuel, which accounted for almost a half of the total decrease. The index was also influenced by the 1.6% price decrease of heat energy and the 4.4% price decrease of fruit.

Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, October 2013
Commodity group October 2012 –
October 2013, %
September 2013 –
October 2013, %
TOTAL 1.5 -0.3
Food and non-alcoholic beverages 1.7 -0.2
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco 4.4 -0.5
Clothing and footwear 3.0 0.8
Housing 8.0 -0.5
Household goods 0.7 0.1
Health 7.5 0.4
Transport -6.1 -1.7
Communications -10.1 0.4
Recreation and culture 2.3 0.3
Education -14.9 0.0
Hotels, cafés and restaurants 7.7 -0.3
Miscellaneous goods and services 2.7 -0.1