The monthly change in the consumer price index in July was mainly influenced by electricity and vegetables

News
Posted on 7 August 2013, 11:00

According to Statistics Estonia, the change of the consumer price index was -0.1% in July 2013 compared to June and 3.4% compared to July of the previous year.

Goods were 3.1% and services 4.0% more expensive compared to July of the previous year.

Regulated prices of goods and services have risen by 1.1% and non-regulated prices by 4.2% compared to July of the previous year.

Compared to July 2012, the consumer price index was mainly influenced by housing expenditures and food, of which the first one gave over 40% of the total increase and the second one nearly 40%. Whereat the electricity that arrived at homes – which was 30% more expensive than a year before – accounted for 80% of the impact of housing expenditures. 33% more expensive vegetables gave nearly a half and 5.4% more expensive meat and meat products a fifth of the impact of food to the index. In July 2013, motor fuel was 0.1% cheaper than the year earlier. Among food products, the prices of potatoes and fresh vegetables have increased the most compared to the same period of the previous year – by 2.4 times and 25%, respectively. The prices of sugar and eggs have decreased by14% and the prices of coffee by 12%.

In July compared to June, the consumer price index was mainly influenced by the 11.8% price decrease of electric energy, which also caused a 6.1% decrease in the price of electricity that arrived at homes. The index was also influenced by the 13.6% increase in vegetable prices, broad sales of clothing and footwear, 1.5% price increase of motor fuel and ending of the sales of alcoholic beverages. Fresh cabbage was 2.1 times more expensive than in June and cucumbers were 30% cheaper.

Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, July 2013
Commodity group July 2012 –
July 2013, %
June 2013 –
July 2013, %
TOTAL 3.4 -0.1
Food and non-alcoholic beverages 5.2 1.3
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco 4.9 1.0
Clothing and footwear 6.3 -3.5
Housing 8.4 -1.8
Household goods 0.8 -0.4
Health 7.6 0.8
Transport -2.3 0.2
Communications -9.9 -0.3
Recreation and culture 1.9 -0.6
Education 2.8 0.1
Hotels, cafés and restaurants 7.2 1.7
Miscellaneous goods and services 2.3 -0.4