Consumer price index increased in May

According to Statistics Estonia, the consumer price index increased 0.1% in May 2011 compared to April and has increased 5.4% compared to May of the previous year.

Goods were 6.7% and services 3.0% more expensive compared to May 2010.

Regulated prices of goods and services have risen by 5.1% and non-regulated prices by 5.4% compared to May of the previous year.

Compared to May of the previous year, the index was mainly influenced by the 12.2% price increase of food and non-alcoholic beverages, which gave over a half of the total rise of the index. Compared to the same period a year ago, the prices of potatoes, coffee and sugar have increased the most (77%, 56% and 55%, respectively). More than a 30% rise was detected in case of the prices of groats (37%), apples (35%), vegetable oil (34%) and flour (31%). But eggs were 14.6% cheaper.

In May compared to April, the consumer price index was mainly influenced by the 4.3% price decrease of vegetables, 2% price increase of heat energy, 1.6% price decrease of motor fuel and 16.8% seasonal price increase of accommodation services. Compared to April, Chinese cabbage and tomatoes-cucumbers were cheaper by 23% and 13%, respectively, but flights were by 13% more expensive.

Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, May 2011
Commodity group	May 2010 – May 2011, %	April 2011 – May 2011, %
TOTAL	5.4	0.1
Food and non-alcoholic beverages	12.2	-0.2
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco	8.6	0.7
Clothing and footwear	1.9	-0.3
Housing	4.1	0.9
Household goods	-0.5	-0.3
Health	-0.1	-0.1
Transport	3.5	-0.5
Communications	1.7	-0.5
Recreation and culture	1.1	0.8
Education	2.3	0.0
Hotels, cafés and restaurants	6.2	2.5
Miscellaneous goods and services	2.5	-0.4

For further information:

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