In March, the consumer price index was influenced the most by rising food prices
According to Statistics Estonia, in March, the consumer price index increased by 0.7% compared with February and by 15.3% compared with March 2022. Goods were 14.4% and services 17.2% more expensive than in March last year.
Viktoria Trasanov, leading analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that, compared with March 2022, the consumer price index was influenced the most by price increases of food and non-alcoholic beverages, which accounted for over a third of the total rise, and housing-related price changes that accounted for a quarter of the total increase. “Electricity that reached homes was 49.5%, heat energy 35.6%, solid fuels 41%, and gas 17.8% more expensive,” noted Trasanov.
Among food products, the biggest increase compared with March of last year occurred in the prices of sugar (97.1%). Eggs were 43.3%, cocoa 42.3%, sauces 39.7%, spices 38.8%, and bread products 38.4% more expensive. “Petrol was 9% and diesel fuel 11% cheaper,” Trasanov added.
Compared with February, the consumer price index was influenced the most by the rising prices of food, which accounted for two fifths of the total increase and of which, in turn, more than a half was contributed by the 11.3% price increase of fresh vegetables. The ending of seasonal sales of clothing and footwear also had a greater impact on the index.
|
Commodity group |
March 2022 – March 2023, % |
February 2023 – March 2023, % |
|---|---|---|
|
TOTAL |
15.3 |
0.7 |
|
Food and non-alcoholic beverages |
24.7 |
1.0 |
|
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco |
9.1 |
1.5 |
|
Clothing and footwear |
13.9 |
4.5 |
|
Housing |
27.5 |
0.0 |
|
Household goods |
16.1 |
1.0 |
|
Health |
8.8 |
0.5 |
|
Transport |
-0.3 |
-0.3 |
|
Communications |
2.9 |
-1.4 |
|
Recreation and leisure |
14.7 |
0.9 |
|
Education |
9.0 |
0.0 |
|
Hotels, cafés and restaurants |
17.6 |
1.7 |
|
Miscellaneous goods and services |
15.3 |
0.5 |
See also the consumer price index calculator and the prices section on the website.
For the statistical activity “Consumer price index”, the main representative of public interest is the Ministry of Finance, commissioned by whom Statistics Estonia collects and analyses the data.
More detailed data have been published in the statistical database.
For further information:
Helen Maria Raadik
Media Relations Manager
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 625 9181
press [at] stat.ee