In April, the consumer price index was affected the most by food

News
Posted on 8 May 2017, 11:00

According to Statistics Estonia, the change of the consumer price index in April 2017 was 0.3% compared to March 2017 and 3.2% compared to April of the previous year.

Compared to April 2016, goods were 3.6% and services 2.4% more expensive. Regulated prices of goods and services have risen by 5.7% and non-regulated prices by 2.5% compared to April of the previous year.

Compared to April 2016, the consumer price index was affected the most by the 4.5% more expensive food and non-alcoholic beverages, which contributed nearly one-third of the total growth of the index. Milk, dairy products and eggs were 8.9%, sugar and confectionery 6.4%, fresh fruit 7.3% and vegetables 5.2% more expensive than a year earlier. Motor fuel contributed more than one-quarter of the total growth of the index. Compared to April 2016, diesel fuel was 20.6% and petrol 14.2% more expensive. A greater impact was made also by alcoholic beverages and tobacco, which were respectively 4.4% and 10.2% more expensive than a year earlier.

In April, compared to March, the consumer price index was affected the most by plane tickets, which were 19% cheaper than tickets bought for March. Almost as great an impact was made by catering and accommodation services, which were respectively 0.8% and 16.1% more expensive than a month earlier. The 2.4% more expensive miscellaneous goods and services were the result of the simultaneous ending of several sales of maintenance products.

Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, April 2017
Commodity group April 2016 – April 2017, % March 2017 – April 2017, %
TOTAL 3.2 0.3
Food and non-alcoholic beverages 4.5 -0.1
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco 6.0 0.1
Clothing and footwear 3.3 0.0
Housing 1.3 -0.1
Household goods 1.0 0.7
Health 1.1 -0.2
Transport 5.5 -0.6
Communications -2.5 -0.1
Recreation and culture 0.6 0.8
Education 4.7 2.0
Hotels, cafés and restaurants 6.8 3.3
Miscellaneous goods and services 3.7 2.4

Statistics Estonia publishes the consumer price index on the 5th working day of each month, after the end of the reporting period. For the statistical activity “Consumer price index”, the main representative of public interest is the Ministry of Finance, commissioned by whom Statistics Estonia collects and analyses the data necessary for conducting the statistical activity.