Consumer price index increased in February

According to Statistics Estonia, the percentage change of the consumer price index in February 2008 compared to February 2007 was 11.3%.

The price change was as follows:

goods	10.3%
food, alcohol and tobacco	15.1%
manufactured goods	6.6%
services	13.0%

At the same time, administered prices changed 20.8% and non-administered prices 8.6%. The index was mainly influenced by the increase in the prices of food, increase in the expenditure on housing and increase in the prices of motor fuel.

In February 2008, the prices of goods and services were on average 0.4% higher than in January 2008. In February 2008 compared to January, the consumer price index was mainly influenced by the increase in the prices of food, alcoholic beverages, health services, eating out, and fruit as well as by the decrease in the prices of motor fuel.

Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, February 2008

Commodity group	February 2007 – February 2008, %	January 2008 – February 2008, %
TOTAL	11.3	0.4
Food and non-alcoholic beverages	17.1	0.5
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco	9.4	0.8
Clothing and footwear	4.5	0.5
Housing	15.2	0.2
Household goods	4.4	0.5
Health	8.4	1.3
Transport	14.0	-0.3
Communications	-0.8	-0.1
Recreation and culture	3.4	0.2
Education	8.2	0.8
Hotels, cafés and restaurants	15.8	1.0
Miscellaneous goods and services	11.7	0.4

For further information:

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