Consumer price index increased in February

News
Posted on 7 March 2011, 10:00
According to Statistics Estonia, the change of the consumer price index was 5.7% in February 2011 compared to February of the previous year and 0.6% compared to January 2011.

Goods were 7.2% and services 3.2% more expensive compared to February of the previous year.

Regulated prices of goods and services have risen by 6.2% and non-regulated prices by 5.5% compared to February of the previous year.

Compared to February of the previous year, the index was mainly influenced by the 13.2% price increase of food and non-alcoholic beverages, which gave over a half of the total rise of the index and, of which, in turn, nearly a half gave 34.5% more expensive vegetables and 18% more expensive dairy products and a sixth 13.5% more expensive cereals. The 6.2% price increase of electricity, heat energy and fuels and 13.1% price increase of motor fuel, which as a whole gave nearly a fourth of the total change, also had a bigger impact on the index. Compared to the same period a year ago, prices of potatoes and apples have increased the most (89% and 38%, respectively). More than a 30% rise was detected in case of the prices of coffee (34%), groats (33%), other fruits (31%), fuel oil (31%) and milk (30%).

In February compared to January, the consumer price index was mainly influenced by the 14% price increase of vegetables and 5.2% price increase of fruits, which gave respectively over a half and over a seventh of the total change. The major share of impact was also given by the 1.3% price increase of motor fuel, which gave over a tenth of the total change. Compared to January, potatoes were 49%, cucumbers 34%, carrots 31% and bananas 28% more expensive, but paprika was 10% cheaper. In catering establishments the price increase in a month was on average 1%.

 

Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, February 2011
Commodity group February 2010 –
February 2011, %
January 2011 –
February 2011, %
TOTAL 5.7 0.6
Food and non-alcoholic beverages 13.2 1.8
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco 5.5 0.3
Clothing and footwear 2.6 0.1
Housing 5.0 0.1
Household goods -0.9 0.0
Health 0.0 0.0
Transport 4.8 0.6
Communications 2.6 -0.6
Recreation and culture 1.5 0.6
Education 2.8 0.0
Hotels, cafés and restaurants 2.9 0.7
Miscellaneous goods and services 3.0 0.8

Starting from 12 June, data can be submitted to Statistics Estonia in the new self-service environment at uuringud.stat.ee or via the button “Go to self-service” at the top of Statistics Estonia's website.