Consumer prices in Germany rose by 2.0% in April

According to the report from Destatis, consumer prices in Germany rose by 2.0% in April 2019 compared with April 2018. The inflation rate - as measured by the consumer price index - was considerably higher year on year than in March 2019 (+1.3%). Compared with March 2019, the consumer price index increased by 1.0% in April 2019.

The prices of energy products in April 2019 were up 4.6% year on year, which had an upward effect on the overall inflation rate. Marked price increases were also recorded for district heating (+5.3%), natural gas (+3.2%) and electricity (+3.0%). Excluding energy prices, the rate of inflation would have been +1.7% in April 2019.

In addition, the increase in package holiday prices (+11.2%) had a major effect on the inflation rate in April 2019. It was mainly due to a calendar effect caused by Easter falling late this year compared with a year earlier. Consumers paid markedly more than a year earlier also for long-distance bus journeys (+13.6%), air tickets (+6.1%) and rail tickets (+3.4%). Food prices rose below average (+0.8%) from April 2018 to April 2019. Vegetable prices increased substantially in April 2019 year on year (+9.7%). The prices of goods as a whole increased by 1.8% between April 2018 and April 2019.  Compared to goods, the prices of services (total) were up above average in April 2019 year on year (+2.1%). This was mainly attributable to increases in travel service prices.