Consumer price index increased in February

News
Posted on 7 March 2011, 10:00
According to Statistics Estonia, the change of the consumer price index was 5.7% in February 2011 compared to February of the previous year and 0.6% compared to January 2011.

Goods were 7.2% and services 3.2% more expensive compared to February of the previous year.

Regulated prices of goods and services have risen by 6.2% and non-regulated prices by 5.5% compared to February of the previous year.

Compared to February of the previous year, the index was mainly influenced by the 13.2% price increase of food and non-alcoholic beverages, which gave over a half of the total rise of the index and, of which, in turn, nearly a half gave 34.5% more expensive vegetables and 18% more expensive dairy products and a sixth 13.5% more expensive cereals. The 6.2% price increase of electricity, heat energy and fuels and 13.1% price increase of motor fuel, which as a whole gave nearly a fourth of the total change, also had a bigger impact on the index. Compared to the same period a year ago, prices of potatoes and apples have increased the most (89% and 38%, respectively). More than a 30% rise was detected in case of the prices of coffee (34%), groats (33%), other fruits (31%), fuel oil (31%) and milk (30%).

In February compared to January, the consumer price index was mainly influenced by the 14% price increase of vegetables and 5.2% price increase of fruits, which gave respectively over a half and over a seventh of the total change. The major share of impact was also given by the 1.3% price increase of motor fuel, which gave over a tenth of the total change. Compared to January, potatoes were 49%, cucumbers 34%, carrots 31% and bananas 28% more expensive, but paprika was 10% cheaper. In catering establishments the price increase in a month was on average 1%.

 

Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, February 2011
Commodity group February 2010 –
February 2011, %
January 2011 –
February 2011, %
TOTAL 5.7 0.6
Food and non-alcoholic beverages 13.2 1.8
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco 5.5 0.3
Clothing and footwear 2.6 0.1
Housing 5.0 0.1
Household goods -0.9 0.0
Health 0.0 0.0
Transport 4.8 0.6
Communications 2.6 -0.6
Recreation and culture 1.5 0.6
Education 2.8 0.0
Hotels, cafés and restaurants 2.9 0.7
Miscellaneous goods and services 3.0 0.8