Consumer price index increased in September

News
Posted on 7 October 2010, 11:00
According to Statistics Estonia, the consumer price index increased 4.0% in September 2010 compared to September of the previous year and 0.8% compared to August this year.

Goods were 4.5% and services 3.0% more expensive compared to September of the previous year. Food products were 7.0% and manufactured goods 2.2% more expensive.

Regulated prices of goods and services have risen by 8.1% and non-regulated prices by 2.7% compared to September of the previous year.

Compared to September of the previous year, the index was mainly influenced by the 6.6% price increase of food and non-alcoholic beverages, which gave two fifths of the total rise of the index, as well as by the 10.2% price increase of electricity, heat energy and fuels as a whole, which gave a fourth of the total change. The 8.2% price increase of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products had also a remarkable impact on the consumer price index. Compared to the same period of the previous year, the prices of vegetables, heating oil and coffee have increased the most (35%, 29.5% and 29.1%, respectively); but the prices of photographic goods and TV-sets have decreased (16.7% and 11.3%, respectively).

In September compared to August, the consumer price index was mainly influenced by the price increase of food and non-alcoholic beverages, ending of the sales of clothing and footwear, price increase of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, as well as by the increase in housing expenditures. In a month, the prices of fresh vegetables increased by 8.3%, coffee by 13.1%, tobacco products by 4.4%, beer by 4.5% and gas by 12.1%. Compared to the previous month, prices of tomatoes increased the most (39.8%) and prices of grapes decreased the most (22.3%).

Changes of prices which took place at the end of the month (incl. the price increase of dairy products) are not reflected in the September index.

Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, September 2010
Commodity group        September 2009 –
September 2010, %
August 2010 –
September 2010, %
TOTAL 4.0 0.8
Food and non-alcoholic beverages 6.6 1.3
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco 8.2 2.3
Clothing and footwear 2.0 4.3
Housing 5.3 0.8
Household goods -2.6 -0.1
Health 0.8 -0.1
Transport 3.1 -0.5
Communications 6.6 -0.6
Recreation and culture 0.6 0.6
Education 2.5 1.9
Hotels, cafés and restaurants -0.5 -0.7
Miscellaneous goods and services 0.8 0.4