Consumer price index decreased in 2009

According to Statistics Estonia, the consumer price index decreased by 0.1% in 2009 compared to the average of 2008.

For the first time in Estonia, the decrease in the consumer price index compared to the average of the last year was fixed.

In 2009 compared to the previous year goods were 1.8% cheaper and services 3.1% more expensive. Food products were 0.3% and manufactured goods were 3.0% cheaper.

The consumer price index was mainly influenced by the decrease in the prices of motor fuel and food as well as by the increase in the prices of tobacco products.

In 2009 compared to the average of the previous year, the prices of motor fuel decreased by 13.4%, the prices of dairy products by 12.8% and rents by 31.3%. The price increase of tobacco products by 24.7% was the aftereffect to the increase of excise duties in 2008 when cigarettes with new tax stamps arrived to the shops only in August–September 2008.

Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, 2009
Commodity group	2008–2009, %
TOTAL	-0.1
Food and non-alcoholic beverages	-4.0
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco	10.7
Clothing and footwear	0.8
Housing	1.0
Household goods	2.5
Health	4.2
Transport	-6.5
Communications	-0.2
Recreation and culture	-0.2
Education	4.7
Hotels, cafés and restaurants	0.5
Miscellaneous goods and services	7.6

For further information:

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