Consumer price index decreased for the 4th consecutive month

News
Posted on 7 October 2015, 11:00
According to Statistics Estonia, the change of the consumer price index in September 2015 was -0.6% compared to August 2015 and -0.7% compared to September of the previous year.

Compared to September 2014, goods were 1.2% cheaper and services 0.2% more expensive. Regulated prices of goods and services have fallen by 3.2% and non-regulated prices risen by 0.1 % compared to September of the previous year.

Compared to September 2014, the consumer price index was influenced the most by motor fuel, which has become 18.3% cheaper. 5.1% cheaper electricity, heat energy and fuels also had a bigger impact on the index, as heat energy was 5.1% and the electricity that arrived at homes 4.7% cheaper than in the same month of the previous year. The prices of milk and dairy products have decreased 7.1%. Out of the products which became more expensive, alcoholic beverages had the biggest impact on the index, as their prices have increased 7.3% compared to the previous year. Compared to September 2014, of food products, the prices of dried fruit and nuts (24%) and fish (14%) have increased the most, whereas the prices of milk and butter have decreased the most (15% and 8%, respectively).

Compared to August 2015, the consumer price index was influenced the most by motor fuel, the prices of which fell 4.9%. The implementation of the higher education reform, which enables free higher education for all first-, second- and third-year students who have begun full-time studies in a higher education institution on a programme taught in Estonian, and the end of the summer sales of clothing and footwear also had a bigger impact on the index.

Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, September 2015
Commodity group September 2014 – September 2015, % August 2015 – September 2015, %
TOTAL -0.7 -0.6
Food and non-alcoholic beverages -0.5 -0.8
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco 5.7 0.3
Clothing and footwear 2.4 4.9
Housing -2.1 0.0
Household goods 1.2 0.2
Health 3.1 0.2
Transport -9.0 -3.4
Communications 3.3 1.0
Recreation and culture 2.2 0.5
Education -14.7 -17.8
Hotels, cafés and restaurants 1.0 -1.8
Miscellaneous goods and services 2.8 0.7