In December, the change in the consumer price index was influenced the most by motor fuel

News
Posted on 6 January 2017, 10:00

According to Statistics Estonia, the change of the consumer price index in December 2016 was 0.4% compared to November 2016 and 2.2% compared to December 2015.

Compared to December 2015, goods were 2.3% and services 2.0% more expensive. Regulated prices of goods and services have risen by 5.5% and non-regulated prices by 1.4% compared to December 2015.

Compared to December 2015, the consumer price index was influenced the most by price increase of motor fuel of which diesel fuel was 16.7% and petrol 16.1% more expensive. Also, increased prices of food (2.1%) and alcoholic beverages (5.5%) and tobacco (8.5%) had a bigger influence on the index. Compared to December 2015, milk, dairy products and eggs were 2.8%, vegetables 4.6% and fish and fish products 8.7% more expensive. Of food products the biggest increase was in the prices of processed fruit (28%), sugar (27%) and fresh fish (23%).

The last time the change in the consumer price index compared to the same month of the previous year was above 2.2% was in August 2013, when the change was 2.9%.

Compared to November, price increase of motor fuel had the biggest influence on the consumer price index. In a month, petrol became 5% more expensive and diesel fuel 5.6% more expensive. The index was also more affected by a 1.3% price increase of food, of which the biggest share was contributed by 9% more expensive vegetables and 2.2% more expensive milk, dairy products and eggs.
Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, December 2016
Commodity group December 2015 – December 2016, % November 2016 – December 2016, %
TOTAL 2.2 0.4
Food and non-alcoholic beverages 2.3 1.2
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco 6.4 -1.2
Clothing and footwear 1.3 -1.7
Housing 2.0 -0.8
Household goods -0.8 -0.3
Health 2.2 -0.3
Transport 5.0 3.1
Communications -1.7 0.0
Recreation and culture -1.4 0.3
Education 5.4 0.0
Hotels, cafés and restaurants 2.9 -0.4
Miscellaneous goods and services 2.1 0.7

Statistics Estonia publishes the consumer price index on the 5th working day of each month, after the end of the reporting period. 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 necessary for conducting the statistical activity.