Consumer price index increased in January

According to Statistics Estonia, the percentage change of the consumer price index in January 2008 compared to January 2007 was 11.0%.

The price change was as follows:

goods	10.2%
food, alcohol and tobacco	14.3%
manufactured goods	6.9%
services	12.6%

At the same time administered prices changed 21.1% and non-administered prices 8.2%.

The index was mainly influenced by the increase in the prices of food, by the increase in the expenditures on housing, as well as by the increase in the prices of motor fuel.

On average, the prices of goods and services in January 2008 were 2.2% higher than in December 2007. In January 2008 compared to December 2007 the consumer price index was mainly influenced by the increase in the prices of transport, mainly due to the increase in the prices of motor fuel by excise change, as well as by the increase in the ticket prices of ferry boats, urban transport and trains. The increase in the prices of food and in the expenditure on housing has continued.

The weights system of the consumer price index and the base prices used in calculations are updated every year.

In 2008 the base prices used for the calculation of the consumer price index are the December prices of the year 2007. Calculations are made on the base “December 2007 = 100".

The weights system corresponds to the average expenditure structure of the population in the year 2007.

To ensure the comparison with the previous periods, the consumer price index is continued to be published on the base 1997 = 100. The linking month is December 2007.

Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, January 2008 compared to December 2007 (December 2007 =100)

Commodity group	Weight, ‰	Change December 2007 – January 2008, %
TOTAL	1 000.0	2.2
Food and non-alcoholic beverages	217.0	2.5
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco	71.7	4.4
Clothing and footwear	67.2	-3.4
Housing	144.2	3.7
Household goods	56.1	0.6
Health	37.8	1.0
Transport	152.1	4.6
Communications	49.2	-0.5
Recreation and culture	87.0	0.9
Education	19.3	2.4
Hotels, cafés and restaurants	43.1	0.7
Miscellaneous goods and services	55.3	1.8

Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, January 2008 compared to January 2007

Commodity group	January 2007 – January 2008, %
TOTAL	11.0
Food and non-alcoholic beverages	16.1
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco	8.8
Clothing and footwear	4.6
Housing	15.8
Household goods	4.2
Health	8.2
Transport	14.3
Communications	-0.9
Recreation and culture	2.7
Education	7.3
Hotels, cafés and restaurants	14.8
Miscellaneous goods and services	11.7

For further information:

Viktoria Trasanov
Head of Price and Wages Statistics Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 625 9240