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CSO statistical release, , 11am

Consumer Price Index

December 2020

CPI and HICP
 CPI HICP
 % monthly change % annual change % monthly change % annual change
Aug 2020-0.1 -1.0 -0.1 -1.1
Sep 2020-0.4 -1.2 -0.4 -1.2
Oct 2020-0.6 -1.5 -0.5 -1.5
Nov 20200.3 -1.1 0.3 -1.0
Dec 20200.3 -1.0 0.2 -1.0

Prices fall by 1.0% in the year to December 2020

Figure 1: CPI/HICP - ALL ITEMS Annual Percentage Change
go to full release

Prices on average, as measured by the CPI, were 1.0% lower in December compared with December 2019.

The most notable changes in the year were decreases in Clothing & Footwear (-7.8%), Transport (-4.1%), Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-3.9%) and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (-1.9%).  There were increases in Health (+3.4%), Restaurants & Hotels (+2.5%), Recreation & Culture (+0.9%) and Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+0.4%).

Consumer Prices in December, as measured by the CPI, increased by 0.3% in the month.  During December of last year, prices rose by 0.2% in the month.  The most significant monthly price changes were increases in Restaurants & Hotels (+1.5%) and Transport (+1.3%).  There were decreases in Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (-1.2%) and Miscellaneous Goods & Services (-1.1%).

Contributions to the overall CPI – annual change

Table 17 shows the contribution of each 2-digit COICOP1 division to the overall change in the CPI.  A detailed breakdown of the individual components of each of the 12 COICOP divisions is presented in Tables 4 to 15.

The divisions which caused the largest downward contribution to the CPI in the year were Transport (-0.60%), Clothing & Footwear (-0.36%), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (-0.27%) and Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.19%).

The divisions which caused the largest upward contribution to the CPI in the year were Restaurants & Hotels (+0.51%), Health (+0.11%), Recreation & Culture (+0.07%) and Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+0.02%).

The main factors contributing to the annual change were as follows:

  • Transport decreased due to lower prices for diesel and petrol and a reduction in air fares.  This decrease was partially offset by higher prices for motor cars and an increase in the cost of services in respect of personal transport equipment.
  • Clothing & Footwear fell due to sales.
  • Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels decreased primarily due to a reduction in the price of home heating oil, lower rents and a fall in the cost of natural gas.  This reduction was partially offset by an increase in the cost of electricity and higher mortgage interest repayments.
  • Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance fell mainly due to the reduced cost of non-durable household goods, furniture & furnishings and household textiles.  This decrease was partially offset by an increase in the cost of domestic services and household services.
  • Restaurants & Hotels increased primarily due to higher prices for alcoholic drinks and food consumed in licensed premises, restaurants, cafes etc.  This increase was partially offset by a reduction in the cost of hotel accommodation.
  • Health rose mainly due to an increase in the cost of medical and dental services.
  • Recreation & Culture increased primarily due to higher prices for package holidays and an increase in the cost of recreational and sporting services.  This increase was partially offset by lower prices for gardens, plants & flowers and games, toys & hobbies.
  • Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco rose mainly due to higher prices for tobacco products.  This increase was partially offset by a fall in the price of alcoholic beverages sold in supermarkets and off licences.

Contributions to the overall CPI – monthly change

The divisions which caused the largest upward contribution to the CPI in the month were Restaurants & Hotels (+0.31%) and Transport (+0.19%).  The divisions which caused the largest downward contribution in the month were Miscellaneous Goods & Services (-0.14%) and Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (-0.06%).

The main factors contributing to the monthly change were as follows:

  • Restaurants & Hotels rose primarily due to an increase in the cost of hotel accommodation and higher prices for alcoholic drinks and food consumed in licensed premises, restaurants, cafes etc.
  • Transport increased mainly due to higher prices for air fares and an increase in the cost of services in respect of personal transport equipment.
  • Miscellaneous Goods & Services fell primarily due to lower prices for appliances, articles & products for personal care.
  • Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco decreased due to a fall in the price of alcoholic beverages sold in supermarkets and off licences.

CPI sub-indices

The sub index for Services rose by 1.0% in the year to December, while Goods decreased by 3.9%.  Services, excluding mortgage interest repayments, increased by 0.9% in the year since December 2019.

The CPI excluding tobacco increased by 0.2% in the month of December and decreased by 1.1% in the year.  The CPI excluding mortgage interest increased by 0.3% in the month and fell by 1.1% in the year.

Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices

Prices on average, as measured by the EU Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), decreased by 1.0% compared with December 2019.

The most notable changes in the year were decreases in Clothing & Footwear (-7.9%), Transport (-4.5%), Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-3.9%) and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (-3.2%).  There were increases in Health (+4.9%), Restaurants & Hotels (+2.6%), Recreation & Culture (+0.8%) and Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+0.3%).

The HICP increased by 0.2% in the month.  This compares to an increase of 0.2% recorded in December of last year.

The most significant monthly price changes were increases in Restaurants & Hotels (+1.5%) and Transport (+1.4%).  There were decreases in Miscellaneous Goods & Services (-1.9%) and Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (-1.3%).

Consumer Price Index Annual Review – 2020

Annual average inflation for CPI in 2020 was -0.3%

The annual average rate of inflation in 2020 was -0.3%.  This compares to a rise of 0.9% for 2019 and an increase of 0.5% for 2018. 

The largest year-on-year price decrease was recorded in October 2020 when prices fell by 1.5% compared to the previous October.

Largest decreases recorded in Communications and Clothing & Footwear

The largest price decreases were recorded for Communications (-7.0%), Clothing & Footwear (-3.7%) and Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-3.1%).  The largest increases were recorded for Education (+3.0%), Health (+2.8%) and Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+2.4%). 

During 2020, mortgage interest repayments rose on average by 2.6% compared to a rise of 2.8% in 2019.  The price of Goods decreased on average by 2.2% compared to a fall of 1.1% in 2019.  The price of Services (which includes mortgage interest) rose by 1.0% compared to a rise of 2.4% the previous year.

Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels shows the largest price increase since 2016

Over the period 2016 to 2020, the largest increases were recorded for Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+10.2%), Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+8.9%), Education (+8.9%) and Restaurants & Hotels (+8.8%). The largest decreases were for Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-13.6%), Communications (-12.9%), Clothing & Footwear (-10.5%) and Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (-6.1%).  The overall increase in the Consumer Price Index over this period was 1.5%.

 

1 Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose Adapted to the Needs of Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (2000).

Contributions to changeannual % change
Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages-1.6
Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco0.4
Clothing & Footwear-7.8
Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, etc.-1.9
Furnishings, Household Equipment, etc.-3.9
Health3.4
Transport-4.1
Communications-1.8
Recreation & Culture0.9
Education0.2
Restaurants & Hotels2.5
Miscellaneous Goods & Services-0.6
ALL ITEMS-1
Table A Percentage Changes by COICOP Division in the Consumer Price Index and Selected Indices
  Percentage Changes
COICOP DivisionAnnual Average 
     
20172018201920202016 - 2020
01Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages-2.2-2.0-0.6-1.4-6.1
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco0.72.82.82.48.9
03Clothing and Footwear-4.3-1.5-1.5-3.7-10.5
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels2.15.03.8-1.110.2
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance-4.2-3.8-3.2-3.1-13.6
06Health1.30.20.82.85.2
07Transport2.10.80.2-1.61.4
08Communications-0.2-0.9-5.3-7.0-12.9
09Recreation and Culture-2.0-1.00.71.4-0.9
10Education1.71.62.43.08.9
11Restaurants and Hotels2.32.13.01.18.8
12Miscellaneous Goods and Services0.2-3.0-0.10.9-2.0
 All Items CPI0.40.50.9-0.31.5
   Goods-2.1-0.7-1.1-2.2-5.9 
   Services2.11.42.41.07.1
   Energy Products3.97.11.1-5.06.9
   Mortgage Interest-1.6-0.22.82.63.7
   CPI excluding Tobacco0.10.40.8-0.50.8
   CPI excluding Housing0.00.10.5-0.40.2
   CPI excluding Mortgage Interest0.40.50.9-0.41.4
   CPI excluding Energy Products0.00.00.90.00.9
Notes: See Background Notes for definition of COICOP divisions.
           Goods include non-service items usually purchased and transportable from a retail outlet.
           Services include electricity, gas, telecommunications, alcoholic beverages consumed on licensed premises, meals out, housing,
           rent, mortgage interest repayments, insurance, public transport, entertainment and recreation, education, household services and
           miscellaneous services including childcare, social protection, package holidays and other services.
           Energy Products include electricity, gas, other domestic and transport fuels.
           CPI excluding Housing excludes rents, waste collection & disposal charges, mortgage interest, materials for repairs & decoration
           and house insurance.
Table 1 Consumer Price Index (All Items)
PeriodConsumer Price Index (CPI) Percentage changes
Dec. 2016=100 Dec. 2011=100 1 month 3 months 12 months
2014Year100.6 101.8     0.2
2015Year100.3 101.5     -0.3
2016Year100.3 101.5     0.0
2017Year100.7 101.9     0.4
2018Year101.2 102.4     0.5
2019Year102.1 103.3     0.9
2020Year101.8 103.0     -0.3
           
2017January99.5 100.7 -0.5 -0.6 0.3
 February100.1 101.3 0.6 0.1 0.5
 March100.7 101.9 0.6 0.7 0.7
 April101.1 102.3 0.4 1.6 0.9
 May100.9 102.1 -0.2 0.8 0.2
 June101.0 102.2 0.1 0.3 -0.4
 July101.0 102.2 0.0 -0.1 -0.2
 August101.4 102.7 0.4 0.5 0.4
 September100.8 102.0 -0.6 -0.2 0.2
 October100.7 101.9 -0.1 -0.3 0.6
 November100.5 101.7 -0.2 -0.9 0.5
 December100.4 101.6 -0.1 -0.4 0.4
           
2018January99.7 100.9 -0.7 -1.0 0.2
 February100.6 101.8 0.9 0.1 0.5
 March100.9 102.1 0.3 0.5 0.2
 April100.7 101.9 -0.2 1.0 -0.4
 May101.3 102.5 0.6 0.7 0.4
 June101.4 102.6 0.1 0.5 0.4
 July101.8 103.0 0.4 1.1 0.8
 August102.1 103.3 0.3 0.8 0.7
 September101.7 102.9 -0.4 0.3 0.9
 October101.6 102.8 -0.1 -0.2 0.9
 November101.1 102.4 -0.5 -1.0 0.6
 December101.1 102.3 0.0 -0.6 0.7
           
2019January100.4 101.6 -0.7 -1.2 0.7
 February101.2 102.4 0.8 0.1 0.6
 March102.0 103.2 0.8 0.9 1.1
 April102.4 103.6 0.4 2.0 1.7
 May102.3 103.5 -0.1 1.1 1.0
 June102.5 103.7 0.2 0.5 1.1
 July102.3 103.5 -0.2 -0.1 0.5
 August102.8 104.0 0.5 0.5 0.7
 September102.6 103.8 -0.2 0.1 0.9
 October102.3 103.6 -0.3 0.0 0.7
 November102.2 103.4 -0.1 -0.6 1.1
 December102.4 103.6 0.2 -0.2 1.3
           
2020January101.7 102.9 -0.7 -0.6 1.3
 February102.3 103.6 0.6 0.1 1.1
 March102.7 104.0 0.4 0.3 0.7
 April102.3 103.6 -0.4 0.6 -0.1
 May101.8 103.0 -0.5 -0.5 -0.5
 June102.1 103.4 0.3 -0.6 -0.4
 July101.9 103.1 -0.2 -0.4 -0.4
 August101.8 103.0 -0.1 0.0 -1.0
 September101.4 102.6 -0.4 -0.7 -1.2
 October100.8 102.0 -0.6 -1.1 -1.5
 November101.1 102.3 0.3 -0.7 -1.1
 December101.4 102.6 0.3 0.0 -1.0
Table 2 Consumer Price Index Subindices - December 2020
Subindices  Consumer Price Index (CPI) Percentage changes
Weights         
2020 Dec. 2016=100Dec. 2011=100 1 month 3 months 12 months
CPI excluding Tobacco97.906 100.8101.4 0.2 -0.1 -1.1
CPI excluding Housing89.677 100.2101.7 0.2 -0.1 -1.1
CPI excluding Mortgage Interest97.483 101.3104.9 0.3 0.0 -1.1
CPI excluding Mortgage Interest and Local Property Tax97.056 101.2104.6 0.2 -0.1 -1.2
CPI excluding Energy Products92.385 101.3103.4 0.4 0.0 -0.4
CPI excluding Energy and Unprocessed Food87.306 101.7104.2 0.5 0.0 -0.3
Notes: CPI excluding Housing excludes rents, mortgage interest, maintenance & repair of the dwelling, refuse collection, sewage collection and
           insurance connected with the dwelling.
           CPI excluding Energy Products excludes fuels & lubricants for personal transport equipment and electricity, gas & other fuels.
           CPI excluding Energy and Unprocessed Food excludes fuels & lubricants for personal transport equipment, electricity, gas & other fuels, meat,
           vegetables, fruit and fish.
Table 3 Consumer Price COICOP Division Indices - December 2020
COICOP Division  Consumer Price Index (CPI) Percentage changes
Weights         
2020 Dec. 2016=100Dec. 2011=100 1 month 3 months 12 months
01Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages10.166 94.789.2 -0.1 -0.1 -1.6
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco4.614 107.4122.6 -1.2 -1.2 0.4
03Clothing and Footwear4.552 87.174.7 -1.1 -2.2 -7.8
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels14.070 109.9110.1 0.6 1.2 -1.9
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance4.972 87.174.1 -0.3 -0.5 -3.9
06Health3.184 106.0108.9 -0.3 0.1 3.4
07Transport14.319 99.995.3 1.3 0.5 -4.1
08Communications2.615 88.380.7 -1.1 3.4 -1.8
09Recreation and Culture7.596 100.396.3 -0.1 -0.2 0.9
10Education1.777 107.7130.7 0.0 0.2 0.2
11Restaurants and Hotels20.496 110.1120.3 1.5 -0.1 2.5
12Miscellaneous Goods and Services11.640 97.0112.6 -1.1 -1.1 -0.6
 ALL ITEMS100.000 101.4102.6 0.3 0.0 -1.0
 Of which:          
   Goods40.502 93.184.4 -1.2 -1.4 -3.9
   Services59.498 107.7118.3 1.2 0.8 1.0
   Energy Products7.615 101.393.8 -2.0 -0.6 -8.4
   Utilities and Local Charges2.859 111.6124.2 0.0 4.0 1.2
   Alcohol10.387 104.0112.6 -0.5 -0.9 1.1
   Tobacco2.094 122.5157.2 0.1 3.0 2.2
   Mortgage Interest2.517 105.866.2 0.4 -0.1 2.0
   Services excluding Mortgage Interest56.981 107.8124.5 1.2 0.8 0.9
Notes: See Background Notes for definition of COICOP divisions, goods, services and utilities and local charges.
            Restaurants and Hotels (COICOP 11) includes alcoholic beverages consumed on licensed premises.
            Alcohol constitutes part of COICOP 02 (off-licence sales) and part of COICOP 11 (alcohol consumed on licensed premises) giving a combined
            index for alcohol.
Table 4 COICOP Division 01 Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages - December 2020
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2020 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
01.1 Food8.9942 94.9 0.1-1.1
   01.1.1 Bread & Cereals1.4186 94.4 0.0-0.8
                   Rice0.0594 83.2 -3.3-4.1
                   Flours & other cereals0.0302 86.0 -0.6-4.3
                   Bread0.4507 100.0 0.50.4
                   Other bakery products0.4820 94.6 0.60.3
                   Pizza & quiche0.0899 83.3 -5.7-2.9
                   Pasta products & couscous0.0694 93.8 -0.2-0.5
                   Breakfast cereals0.1599 92.4 1.1-2.9
                   Other cereal products0.0770 92.0 1.9-5.0
   01.1.2 Meat2.4069 96.3 0.3-0.2
                    Beef & veal0.3851 92.4 -1.2-5.4
                    Pork0.1372 100.6 -1.3-4.2
                    Lamb & goat0.1177 98.5 -0.417.0
                    Poultry0.5740 93.9 1.20.2
                    Edible offal0.0044 100.5 0.0-1.3
                    Dried, salted or smoked meat0.4327 99.5 -0.10.0
                    Other meat preparations0.7558 96.6 0.8-0.1
   01.1.3 Fish0.3597 93.8 -0.40.0
                   Fresh or chilled fish 0.1766 92.2 -0.3-0.8
                   Frozen fish0.0224 83.7 -2.4-5.5
                   Fresh or chilled seafood 0.0200 95.1 -4.1-3.7
                   Dried, smoked or salted fish & seafood0.0339 99.3 -1.8-0.9
                   Other preserved or processed fish & seafood-based preparations0.1068 96.5 1.03.8
   01.1.4 Milk, cheese & eggs1.0341 97.7 1.20.4
                   Fresh whole milk0.2271 100.0 0.0-0.2
                   Fresh low fat milk0.1342 99.5 0.0-0.4
                   Yoghurt0.2138 109.1 3.76.5
                   Cheese & curd 0.2323 85.6 1.9-4.9
                   Other milk products0.0941 97.1 1.54.0
                   Eggs0.1326 97.0 0.0-0.2
   01.1.5 Oils & fats0.2641 103.2 -1.3-1.1
                   Butter0.1332 112.4 -2.0-0.3
                   Margarine & other vegetable fats0.0609 94.2 -0.7-4.3
                   Olive oil0.0263 90.9 0.81.9
                   Other edible oils0.0437 96.2 -1.0-0.4
   01.1.6 Fruit0.8010 97.6 0.1-0.1
                   Fresh or chilled fruit0.6548 98.3 0.00.0
                   Dried fruit & nuts0.1281 93.3 0.0-1.2
                   Preserved fruit & fruit-based products0.0181 102.9 1.53.9
   01.1.7 Vegetables1.5114 93.4 0.0-3.1
                   Fresh or chilled vegetables other than potatoes & other tubers0.6482 93.2 0.2-4.5
                   Frozen vegetables other than potatoes & other tubers0.0398 87.6 -0.23.3
                   Dried vegetables, other preserved or processed vegetables0.2894 86.0 -0.1-3.9
                   Potatoes0.3363 101.5 0.2-1.3
                   Crisps0.1806 91.4 -1.1-2.2
   01.1.8 Sugar, jam, honey, chocolate & confectionery0.6796 85.1 -1.2-5.7
                   Sugar0.0298 89.1 2.1-1.8
                   Jams, marmalades & honey0.0695 82.0 -1.8-2.3
                   Chocolate0.3251 85.8 -0.9-6.3
                   Confectionery products0.1279 88.2 1.5-2.3
                   Edible ices & ice cream0.1081 78.9 -6.5-10.7
                   Artificial sugar substitutes0.0192 91.9 3.5-5.0
   01.1.9 Food products n.e.c. 0.5188 94.9 0.2-0.2
                   Sauces & condiments0.2310 91.8 0.1-2.5
                   Salt, spices & culinary herbs0.0485 95.1 0.3-0.2
                   Baby food0.0345 101.6 0.23.0
                   Ready-made meals0.0944 99.9 0.11.6
                   Other food products n.e.c.0.1104 94.9 0.02.3
01.2 Non-alcoholic beverages1.1714 93.6 -1.6-4.4
   01.2.1 Coffee, tea & cocoa0.2677 91.9 -0.5-1.9
                   Coffee0.1391 93.4 0.6-0.6
                   Tea0.1170 90.8 -1.9-3.6
                   Cocoa & powdered chocolate0.0116 83.6 -0.7-1.8
   01.2.2 Mineral waters, soft drinks, fruit & vegetable juices0.9037 94.1 -2.0-5.1
                   Mineral or spring waters0.2165 89.2 -2.3-7.3
                   Soft drinks0.3635 101.6 -2.6-3.1
                   Fruit & vegetable juices0.3236 89.0 -1.1-6.0
Total 10.1655 94.7 -0.1-1.6
Table 5 COICOP Division 02 Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco - December 2020
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2020 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
02.1 Alcoholic Beverages2.5201 93.4 -2.3-1.2
   02.1.1 Spirits0.4203 103.6 -3.94.5
   02.1.2 Wine1.3485 84.7 -2.9-2.4
   02.1.3 Beer0.7514 102.1 -0.2-2.1
02.2 Tobacco2.0941 122.5 0.12.2
                   Cigarettes1.8468 121.9 0.12.0
                   Other tobacco products0.2473 126.7 0.03.1
Total4.6142 107.4 -1.20.4
Table 6 COICOP Division 03 Clothing and Footwear - December 2020
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2020 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
03.1 Clothing3.7783 88.5 -1.4-8.1
   03.1.2 Garments3.4848 88.3 -1.5-8.1
   03.1.3 Other articles of clothing & clothing accessories0.2077 85.0 -1.5-10.8
   03.1.4 Cleaning, repair & hire of clothing0.0858 105.1 -0.21.1
                   Dry cleaning & laundry0.0770 105.2 -0.20.9
                   Dress hire & repair of clothing0.0087 104.2 0.02.5
03.2 Footwear0.7742 80.4 -0.1-7.2
   03.2.1 Shoes & other footwear0.7699 80.3 -0.1-7.2
   03.2.2 Repair & hire of footwear0.0044 100.3 0.0-2.6
Total4.5525 87.1 -1.1-7.8
Table 7 COICOP Division 04 Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels - December 2020
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2020 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
04.1/04.2 Actual rentals for housing & mortgage interest8.9991 112.1 0.3-1.1
   04.1.1 Actual rentals paid by tenants (Rents)6.4822 115.0 0.3-2.3
                   Private Rents5.6047 114.4 0.4-2.9
                   Local Authority Rents0.8774 118.8 0.11.5
   04.2.1 Mortgage Interest 2.5169 105.8 0.42.0
04.3 Maintenance & repair of the dwelling0.8826 109.5 0.81.7
   04.3.1 Materials for the maintenance & repair of the dwelling0.3557 104.8 0.8-0.4
   04.3.2 Services for the maintenance & repair of the dwelling0.5268 112.4 1.03.1
04.4 Water supply & miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling 0.2834 104.1 0.02.2
04.5 Electricity, gas & other fuels3.9052 105.2 1.4-5.1
   04.5.1 Electricity1.8203 116.3 0.03.8
   04.5.2 Gas0.7181 105.4 0.0-5.2
                   Natural gas0.6696 105.2 0.0-5.9
                   Bottled gas0.0485 108.2 0.15.0
   04.5.3 Liquid fuels (Home Heating Oil)0.9210 82.6 8.0-26.4
   04.5.4 Solid fuels0.4458 105.9 0.03.0
Total14.0703 109.9 0.6-1.9
Table 8 COICOP Division 05 Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance - December 2020
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2020 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
05.1 Furniture & furnishings, carpets & other floor coverings1.4844 82.5 0.2-4.1
   05.1.1 Furniture & furnishings1.3967 81.9 0.1-4.4
   05.1.2 Carpets & other floor coverings0.0876 97.9 0.50.6
05.2 Household textiles0.4308 69.0 -1.8-8.7
05.3 Household appliances0.5167 90.4 0.1-0.2
   05.3.1 Major household appliances whether electric or not0.3871 92.1 0.20.9
   05.3.2 Small electric household appliances0.0948 78.7 -0.6-4.6
   05.3.3 Repair of household appliances0.0348 102.2 0.00.0
05.4 Glassware, tableware & household utensils0.2213 78.9 0.1-7.3
05.5 Tools & equipment for house & garden0.2501 88.7 -1.2-4.9
   05.5.1 Major tools & equipment0.0835 87.5 -0.3-2.3
   05.5.2 Small tools & miscellaneous accessories0.1666 89.6 -1.5-6.2
05.6 Goods & services for routine household maintenance2.0684 94.9 -0.4-3.3
   05.6.1 Non-durable household goods0.8899 73.1 -0.5-9.9
   05.6.2 Domestic services & household services1.1786 117.2 -0.31.8
Total4.9717 87.1 -0.3-3.9
Table 9 COICOP Division 06 Health - December 2020
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2020 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
06.1 Medical products, appliances & equipment0.9760 95.8 -0.80.1
   06.1.1 Pharmaceutical products0.8026 94.6 -0.9-0.8
                   Prescribed drugs0.5030 89.3 0.0-4.2
                   Other medicines0.2996 103.8 -2.44.6
   06.1.2 Other medical products0.0224 97.9 -0.4-1.6
   06.1.3 Therapeutic appliances & equipment0.1510 102.1 0.05.6
06.2 Out-patient services1.9829 111.4 0.04.7
   06.2.1/3 Medical & paramedical services1.3289 111.4 0.04.3
                   Doctors' fees1.1522 111.3 0.04.1
                   Other medical & paramedical services0.1767 111.3 0.05.4
   06.2.2 Dental services0.6540 111.4 0.05.4
06.3 Hospital services0.2248 107.3 0.06.4
Total3.1837 106.0 -0.33.4
Table 10 COICOP Division 07 Transport - December 2020
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2020 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
07.1 Purchase of vehicles5.3591 102.2 -0.42.0
   07.1.1 Motor cars5.2810 102.3 -0.42.0
   07.1.2 Motor cycles0.0194 103.9 0.00.6
   07.1.3 Bicycles0.0588 94.1 -0.31.7
07.2 Operation of personal transport equipment6.3749 100.6 -2.7-6.0
   07.2.1 Spare parts & accessories for personal transport equipment0.3777 105.2 0.03.0
   07.2.2 Fuels & lubricants for personal transport equipment3.7099 97.3 -5.6-11.9
                   Petrol1.8991 97.6 -5.8-11.3
                   Diesel1.8055 96.9 -5.5-12.5
                   Motor oil0.0053 102.8 0.4-2.7
   07.2.3 Maintenance & repair of personal transport equipment0.7151 104.2 0.01.8
   07.2.4 Other services in respect of personal transport equipment1.5722 104.6 1.92.2
                   Motor tax0.6685 100.0 0.00.0
                   Other vehicle costs0.9037 108.1 3.33.9
07.3 Transport services2.5846 91.4 19.3-12.6
   07.3.1 Passenger transport by railway0.1991 103.6 0.00.0
   07.3.2 Passenger transport by road0.7110 103.3 0.00.0
                   Bus fares0.5049 103.1 0.00.0
                   Taxi fares0.2061 103.7 0.00.0
   07.3.3 Passenger transport by air1.5872 83.9 41.2-20.9
   07.3.4 Passenger transport by sea & inland waterway0.0416 112.5 1.47.6
   07.3.5 Combined passenger transport0.0204 99.7 0.00.0
   07.3.6 Other purchased transport services0.0253 114.1 0.08.0
Total14.3186 99.9 1.3-4.1
Table 11 COICOP Division 08 Communications - December 2020
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2020 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
08.1 Postal services0.1272 124.9 0.00.6
08.2/3.0 Telephone & telefax equipment and telephone & telefax services2.4875 86.7 -1.1-1.9
Total2.6147 88.3 -1.1-1.8
Table 12 COICOP Division 09 Recreation and Culture - December 2020
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2020 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
09.1 Audio-visual, photographic & information processing equipment0.1917 66.6 -2.5-6.1
   09.1.1 Equipment for the reception, recording & reproduction of sound & pictures 0.0632 60.5 0.7-9.8
   09.1.2 Photographic & cinematographic equipment & optical instruments0.0153 75.6 -1.8-7.7
   09.1.3 Information processing equipment0.0679 48.0 -6.3-0.6
   09.1.4 Recording media0.0412 91.7 -0.3-8.9
   09.1.5 Repair of audio-visual, photographic & information processing equipment0.0041 98.3 0.0-1.5
09.2 Other major durables for recreation & culture0.0091 95.3 0.00.6
09.3 Other recreational items & equipment, gardens & pets1.3121 82.8 -0.1-4.4
   09.3.1 Games, toys & hobbies0.3755 74.7 0.0-6.2
   09.3.2 Equipment for sport, camping & open-air recreation0.1431 72.3 0.0-0.4
   09.3.3 Gardens, plants & flowers0.3529 83.1 0.0-7.6
   09.3.4/5 Pets & related products including veterinary & other services for pets0.4405 97.4 -0.2-1.7
09.4 Recreational & cultural services3.9799 106.3 0.01.6
   09.4.1 Recreational & sporting services2.1697 113.6 0.02.4
                   Sports admittance10.1425 116.2 0.0-0.7
                   Sports participation1.1313 117.5 0.03.8
                   Club & society subscriptions0.8734 108.1 0.01.0
   09.4.2 Cultural services1.8103 101.2 0.00.8
                   Cinema0.1833 104.6 0.6-3.0
                   Nightclubs10.0777 104.2 0.02.0
                   Cultural admittance10.2919 98.6 0.0-2.2
                   Television services1.1928 100.5 0.11.9
                   Other entertainment0.0646 110.1 0.03.0
09.5 Newspapers, books & stationery0.8686 104.8 0.2-0.1
   09.5.1 Books0.1867 107.7 0.94.8
   09.5.2 Newspapers & periodicals0.3568 115.4 -0.23.1
   09.5.3/4 Miscellaneous printed matter and stationery & drawing materials0.3252 90.6 0.0-6.5
09.6 Package holidays11.2344 110.3 0.06.0
Total7.5958 100.3 -0.10.9
1Imputation methods used for over 50% as consumption had ceased in December or it was not possible to collect reliable price information.
 For more detail see link to information note above.
Table 13 COICOP Division 10 Education - December 2020
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2020 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
10.1 Pre-primary & primary education0.1118 101.7 0.00.0
10.2 Secondary education0.2485 106.2 0.0-0.2
10.4 Tertiary education1.2635 109.1 0.00.2
10.5 Education not definable by level0.1532 103.1 0.00.3
Total1.7770 107.7 0.00.2
Table 14 COICOP Division 11 Restaurants and Hotels - December 2020
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2020 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
11.1 Catering services17.8206 110.8 0.63.2
   11.1.1 Restaurants, cafes & the like16.9450 111.0 0.63.2
                  Licenced premises8.8851 108.3 0.01.7
                      Spirits0.5699 109.6 -0.52.1
                      Wine2.1774 106.8 -0.50.8
                      Beer5.1195 108.6 0.42.1
                      Soft drinks & mineral water1.0184 109.7 -0.51.6
                  Restaurants, cafes, fast food & take-away food8.0599 114.0 1.24.8
   11.1.2 Canteens10.8757 106.2 0.73.1
11.2 Accommodation services2.6754 106.5 8.0-1.9
Total20.4960 110.1 1.52.5
1Imputation methods used for over 50% as consumption had ceased in December or it was not possible to collect reliable price
 information. For more detail see link to information note above.
Table 15 COICOP Division 12 Miscellaneous Goods and Services - December 2020
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2020 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
12.1 Personal care3.4168 93.4 -3.4-1.4
   12.1.1 Hairdressing salons & personal grooming establishments1.2807 114.3 0.36.2
                     Hairdressing0.9593 118.0 0.37.5
                     Health & beauty treatments0.3214 103.7 0.12.5
   12.1.2 Electric appliances for personal care0.0418 75.5 -4.2-11.6
   12.1.3 Other appliances, articles & products for personal care2.0942 83.1 -5.8-5.8
                     Hygiene products0.5303 85.2 -1.5-7.1
                     Hair products0.2545 82.9 -8.6-5.4
                     Cosmetics & skincare products0.8155 83.0 -9.3-6.8
                     Toilet accessories0.4940 80.9 -2.9-2.8
12.3 Personal effects n.e.c.0.6959 72.5 -2.3-12.7
   12.3.1 Jewellery, clocks & watches0.4114 82.2 -2.6-11.1
   12.3.2 Other personal effects0.2845 63.1 -2.0-15.1
12.4 Social protection1.2223 107.5 0.01.0
                     Childcare1.0747 107.2 0.00.8
                     Other social protection0.1476 109.6 0.02.4
12.5 Insurance4.7153 98.6 0.00.7
   12.5.2 Insurance connected with the dwelling0.2934 106.8 -1.21.3
   12.5.3 Insurance connected with health3.2521 108.1 0.12.9
   12.5.4 Insurance connected with transport1.1698 74.0 0.0-5.1
                  Motor insurance1.1359 73.3 0.0-5.2
                     Motor cycle insurance0.0075 78.1 0.0-12.5
                     Motor car insurance1.1284 73.3 0.0-5.2
                  Travel insurance0.0339 99.1 0.0-4.3
12.6 Financial services n.e.c.0.4259 99.8 -0.1-0.5
12.7 Other services n.e.c.1.1638 104.9 0.01.5
Total11.6399 97.0 -1.1-0.6
Table 16 Consumer Price Index Goods and Services by COICOP Division - December 2020
COICOP DivisionWeights 2020 Index       Percentage changes
    Dec. 2016=100    
          
OverallGoodsServices GoodsServices GoodsServicesOverall
       12 months12 months12 months
01Food and Non Alcoholic Beverages10.16610.166- 94.7- -1.6--1.6
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco4.6144.614- 107.4- 0.4-0.4
03Clothing and Footwear4.5524.4620.090 86.7104.9 -8.20.9-7.8
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels 14.0701.77112.299 93.8112.2 -12.9-0.4-1.9
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance4.9723.7481.223 79.4116.6 -5.81.7-3.9
06Health3.1840.9762.208 95.8110.9 0.14.83.4
07Transport14.3199.4474.872 101.197.5 -3.3-5.8-4.1
08Communications2.6150.2492.365 44.697.9 -15.0-0.3-1.8
09Recreation and Culture7.5962.2365.360 87.0107.4 -3.12.60.9
10Education1.777-1.777 -107.7 -0.20.2
11Restaurants and Hotels20.496-20.496 -110.1 -2.52.5
12Miscellaneous Goods & Services11.6402.8328.808 80.1102.4 -7.51.6-0.6
ALL ITEMS100.00040.50259.498 93.1107.7 -3.91.0-1.0
Table 17 Contributions to the change in the All Items CPI - December 2020
COICOP DivisionPercentage contributions
1 month 3 months 12 months
01Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages-0.01 -0.01 -0.15
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco-0.06 -0.06 0.02
03Clothing and Footwear-0.05 -0.10 -0.36
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels0.09 0.17 -0.27
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance-0.02 -0.02 -0.19
06Health-0.01 0.00 0.11
07Transport0.19 0.06 -0.60
08Communications-0.03 0.09 -0.05
09Recreation and Culture0.00 -0.01 0.07
10Education0.00 0.00 0.00
11Restaurants and Hotels0.31 -0.01 0.51
12Miscellaneous Goods and Services-0.14 -0.13 -0.07
 All Items % change0.3 0.0 -1.0 
 Goods-0.45 -0.53 -1.59
 Services0.72 0.50 0.60
 Energy Products-0.15 -0.04 -0.64
 Tobacco0.00 0.06 0.04
 Mortgage Interest0.01 0.00 0.05
Notes: For the percentage contributions, the sum of the 2-digit COICOP divisions may not equal the All Items %
           change due to rounding differences.
Table 18 EU Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) - Ireland
Period HICP 2015=100 Percentage changes
 Monthly indexMoving 12-month average index 1 month12 monthsMoving 12-month average
2017January98.999.8 -0.50.2-0.2
 February99.499.8 0.50.3-0.2
 March100.099.9 0.60.6-0.1
 April100.499.9 0.40.70.0
 May100.299.9 -0.20.00.0
 June100.399.9 0.1-0.60.0
 July100.499.9 0.1-0.20.0
 August100.899.9 0.40.40.0
 September100.299.9 -0.60.20.1
 October100.1100.0 -0.10.50.1
 November100.0100.0 -0.10.50.2
 December99.9100.1 -0.10.50.3
        
2018January99.2100.1 -0.70.30.3
 February100.1100.1 0.90.70.3
 March100.5100.2 0.40.50.3
 April100.3100.2 -0.2-0.10.2
 May100.9100.2 0.60.70.3
 June101.0100.3 0.10.70.4
 July101.4100.4 0.41.00.5
 August101.7100.4 0.30.90.5
 September101.4100.5 -0.31.20.6
 October101.2100.6 -0.21.10.7
 November100.8100.7 -0.40.80.7
 December100.7100.8 -0.10.80.7
        
2019January100.0100.8 -0.70.80.8
 February100.8100.9 0.80.70.8
 March101.6101.0 0.81.10.8
 April102.0101.1 0.41.71.0
 May101.9101.2 -0.11.01.0
 June102.1101.3 0.21.11.0
 July101.9101.3 -0.20.51.0
 August102.3101.4 0.40.60.9
 September102.0101.4 -0.30.60.9
 October101.8101.5 -0.20.60.9
 November101.6101.6 -0.20.80.9
 December101.8101.7 0.21.10.9
        
2020January101.1101.7 -0.71.10.9
 February101.7101.8 0.60.90.9
 March102.1101.9 0.40.50.9
 April101.7101.8 -0.4-0.30.7
 May101.1101.8 -0.6-0.80.6
 June101.5101.7 0.4-0.60.4
 July101.3101.7 -0.2-0.60.3
 August101.2101.6 -0.1-1.10.2
 September100.8101.5 -0.4-1.20.0
 October100.3101.4 -0.5-1.5-0.1
 November100.6101.3 0.3-1.0-0.3
 December100.8101.2 0.2-1.0-0.5
Table 19 EU Harmonised Consumer Price COICOP Division Indices - December 2020 Ireland
COICOP DivisionHICP Percentage changes Percentage contributions
Year 2015=100 1 month 12 months 1 month 12 months
01Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages92.0 0.0 -1.5 -0.01 -0.16
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco108.2 -1.3 0.3 -0.06 0.02
03Clothing and Footwear85.0 -1.2 -7.9 -0.06 -0.38
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels113.6 0.6 -3.2 0.08 -0.36
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance82.7 -0.4 -3.9 -0.02 -0.21
06Health107.6 -0.1 4.9 -0.01 0.30
07Transport96.2 1.4 -4.5 0.18 -0.64
08Communications86.3 -1.0 -1.7 -0.03 -0.05
09Recreation and Culture97.8 -0.1 0.8 0.00 0.07
10Education112.6 0.0 0.1 0.00 0.00
11Restaurants and Hotels112.1 1.5 2.6 0.33 0.54
12Miscellaneous Goods and Services94.3 -1.9 -1.7 -0.14 -0.13
All Items HICP100.8 0.2 -1.0 0.2 -1.0 
Notes: For the percentage contributions, the sum of the 2-digit COICOP divisions may not equal the All Items HICP due to rounding differences.

Background Notes

Consumer Price Index

Definition

The Consumer Price Index is designed to measure the change in the average level of prices (inclusive of all indirect taxes) paid for consumer goods and services by all private and institutional households in the country and by foreign tourists holidaying in Ireland.

Consumer Price Index (CPI)

Approximately 51,000 prices are collected for a representative basket consisting of 615 item headings in a fixed panel of retail and service outlets throughout the country during the week containing the second Tuesday of each month up to and including the third Tuesday of each month.

Scope of the Index

  1. Population Coverage: All private and institutional households in the State and the expenditure of foreign tourists within Ireland.  It does not include the expenditure of other non-private households.    Expenditure which occurs abroad by Irish residents is also excluded.  In statistical terms coverage is referred to as the domestic concept.
  2. Geographic Coverage: Covers the whole of the Republic of Ireland.  Pricing takes place in 84 locations (cities and towns) throughout the country.  These sampling points are located in Dublin city and county, the four regional cities of Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford, approx. 80% of towns with a population of 10,000 and over, approx. 70% of towns between 5,000 and 9,999 and a smaller proportion below this threshold.  The results are weighted to represent the distribution of the population and its related consumer expenditure.
  3. Item Coverage: All goods and services bought by the reference population for the purposes of consumption are included in the index.  Expenditure on capital assets and investments, gambling and certain other activities are however excluded.  There are 615 item headings and 12 division headings based on the COICOP classification.  With each rebase the coverage of goods and services is reviewed to ensure that it continues to be representative of consumer tastes and purchasing practices.

Price Collection   

Personal visits are made to retail outlets by some 80 price collectors on a monthly basis.  Approximately 48,000 price quotations are gathered in this way.  In addition, 137 special inquiries covering items such as utility charges and services are conducted by post, telephone and e-mail in conjunction with internet price collection.  Most prices are collected monthly, some quarterly and others annually.  The CSO supplies general specifications to price collectors and price collectors are free initially to select a brand and in certain cases, size.  This allows for a wide variety of different brands of the same item to be priced throughout the country.  Once selected, the same item/brand is priced on a monthly basis in order to ensure matched price quotations.  If an item disappears, substitution can occur but that price is excluded until matched prices are available for the same comparable item for two consecutive months.  The CSO wishes to put on record its appreciation of the co-operation and assistance it receives from retail outlets and other business concerns.

Classification

The classification used in the CPI is based on a version of the Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose Adapted to the Needs of Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (2000) (COICOP).  This replaced the former national classification which was used up to December 2001.  The COICOP classification breaks consumer expenditure into twelve different divisions covering a comprehensive range of consumer goods and services.

Annual Update of CPI Weights

Since 2012 the weights of the items in the basket have been updated annually at CPI COICOP class (4-digit) level using information on consumer expenditure from National Accounts Household Final Monetary Consumption Expenditure (HFMCE). Additionally at the 2016 rebase, a more granular level update of the weights (5-digit) was possible using information from the latest Household Budget Survey (HBS) which was carried out between February 2015 and February 2016.

CPI Item Weights

The CPI measures in index form the monthly changes in the cost of purchasing a fixed representative ‘basket’ of consumer goods and services (i.e. Laspeyres formula).  Identical items are priced in the same outlet on each occasion so that changes in the cost of this constant basket reflect only pure price changes. The current basket of goods and services consists of 615 representative items which were predominantly selected as part of the December 2016 rebase.  The representative share of each item in the basket is proportional to the average amount purchased by all households in the State and foreign tourists in Ireland based primarily on the 2015/2016 Household Budget Survey (HBS) and estimates of expenditure by foreign tourists across a range of consumer goods and services.  

Methodological Details

A full methodological description of the new series is available in the CPI - Introduction of Updated Series (Base December 2016=100) (PDF 1,524KB) which is published on the CSO website. 

Rebase

The index has been rebased with effect from December 2016.

The rebase of the current CPI resulted in a number of methodological changes:

  • Updating the expenditure weights;
  • A revision of the sample of goods and services;
  • Improved methods of price collection

Goods and Services

Goods

Goods are defined as non service items usually purchased and transportable from a retail outlet.

Services

Services include the following: rents, mortgage interest, services for the maintenance & repair of the dwelling, water supply & miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling, electricity, gas, repair of household appliances, tool hire, domestic services & household services, out-patient services, hospital services, maintenance/repair and other services in respect of personal transport equipment, transport services, postal services, telephone services, repair of audio-visual, photographic & information processing equipment, veterinary & other services for pets, recreational & cultural services, package holidays, education, catering services, accommodation services, hairdressing salons & personal grooming establishments, social protection, insurance, financial services n.e.c. and other services n.e.c.

Utilities and Local Charges

Includes electricity, natural gas, refuse collection, sewage collection, water supply and telephone services – landline.

Mortgage Interest and the Local Property Tax in the CPI

Mortgage interest was first included in the CPI at the November 1975 rebase. The use of mortgage interest in the CPI reflects a user-cost approach to measuring owner-occupied housing.  This approach has involved measuring changes in average mortgage interest costs over time.  The household charge was introduced to the CPI in April 2012 and subsequently became the local property tax in July 2013. The local property tax is included in the basket under the item 'miscellaneous goods and services', which is part of COICOP 12.7.0.  The inclusion of the local property tax is consistent with the user-cost approach utilised for owner-occupied housing.  In the interest of transparency, an index excluding both mortgage interest and the local property tax is provided in Table 2 of the release to allow for their impact in the CPI to be seen.

Mortgage interest and the local property tax are excluded from the HICP.   

Water supply and sewage collection charges

Water supply and sewage collection charges were introduced in Ireland on 1 January 2015.  The coverage of the CPI/HICP is defined as those goods and services purchased by households for the purposes of consumption.  This definition required the incorporation of the new charges into the CPI/HICP.  Water supply and sewage collection charges are a component of group 04.4 Water supply & miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling of the COICOP consumption classification.  Water supply and sewage collection charges were suspended from 1st July 2016. 

For a full discussion on the rationale and methodology for introducing water supply and sewage collection charges into the CPI/HICP, see the relevant CPI Technical Paper Introduction of Water Supply and Sewage Collection (PDF 593KB) .

Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices

Introduction

The European Union-Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (EU-HICP) is calculated in each Member State of the EU.  The purpose of this index is to allow the comparison of consumer price trends in the different Member States.

Comparison with CPI

The methodology now adopted for the construction of the national CPI is identical to that recommended for the HICP.  Thus the two indices only differ in respect of the coverage of certain goods and services and the treatment of insurance.  The current EU reference base period (Year 2015=100) is however retained for ease of comparison with other EU countries.

Excluded Items

The following items, constituting approximately 6.2% of the Irish CPI expenditure weighting (at rebase 2016), are excluded from the HICP:

  • mortgage interest
  • building materials
  • motor car tax
  • motor cycle tax
  • motor car insurance (non-service)
  • contents insurance (non-service)
  • dwelling insurance
  • union subscriptions
  • local property tax 

Annual Update of HICP Weights

Since 2012 the weights of the items in the basket have been updated annually at HICP COICOP class (4-digit) level using information on consumer expenditure from National Accounts Household Final Monetary Consumption Expenditure (HFMCE). Additionally at the 2016 rebase, a more granular level update of the weights (5-digit) was possible using information from the latest Household Budget Survey (HBS) which was carried out between February 2015 and February 2016.

Monetary Union Index of Consumer Prices (MUICP)

Euro area inflation is measured by the MUICP (‘Monetary Union Index of Consumer Prices’ as defined in Council Regulation (EC) No 2494/95 of 23 October 1995) which is the official euro area aggregate.  The MUICP is calculated as a weighted average of HICPs of the 18 countries in the euro area.  Country weights are computed every year reflecting the country’s share of the household final monetary consumption expenditure in the euro area total.

Classification System

The coverage of the indices is based on the international classification system, Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose Adapted to the Needs of Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (2000) (COICOP).

COICOP

Prior to the introduction of the December 2001 based series in January 2002 the CPI used a national classification while the EU Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (HICP) used COICOP.  To ensure greater comparability CPI and the HICP have both used the COICOP since December 2001.

The COICOP classification is based on 12 divisions:

01    Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Includes food and non-alcoholic beverages purchased in supermarkets, small shops, speciality shops and petrol station forecourt outlets.  It excludes meals out which are covered under 11 Restaurants and Hotels.

02    Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco

Includes alcoholic beverages purchased in off licences and supermarkets but excludes alcohol consumed on or within licensed premises which is classified under 11 Restaurants and Hotels.  It also includes tobacco products.

03    Clothing and Footwear

Men's, ladies and children's clothing and footwear, sports and leisurewear and services such as laundry and dry cleaning, shoe repair, dress hire and alteration.

04    Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels

Covers rents, mortgage interest repayments, refuse collection, goods and services for maintaining, decorating and repairing dwellings and domestic energy products such as electricity, gas, home heating oil and solid fuels.  Water supply and sewage collection were added to this division under the item 'water supply and miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling' in January 2015.

05    Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance

Covers household items such as furniture, carpets and other floor coverings, household textiles and soft furnishings, household appliances and other household items such as utensils, tools, garden equipment and non-durable items for cleaning, washing and other day to day household activity.  Also included are services such as electrical repair, cleaning and gardening.

06    Health

Includes medical products, appliances and equipment, hospital charges and outpatient services supplied by doctors, dentists, opticians, physiotherapists and practitioners of alternative and complementary medicine.

07    Transport

Includes the purchase of new and second hand vehicles, spare parts, car maintenance, fuels and lubricants, public transport and services such as parking, motor association subscriptions, car wash, toll charges, driving lessons, driving test, driving licence and car hire.

08    Communications

Postal and telecommunications services.

09    Recreation and Culture

Includes items such as audio visual and photographic equipment, computers, music and DVDs, sports and recreation goods, games and toys, items connected with gardening and pets, recreational, sporting and cultural activities and events, newspapers and other reading material, package holidays and other items connected with recreation and culture.

10    Education

Includes pre-primary and primary, secondary, third level fees and other education and training such as night courses and examination fees.

11    Restaurants and Hotels

Includes meals in restaurants and hotels, fast food and takeaways, cafes and canteens; alcohol consumed on or within licensed premises and accommodation services supplied by hotels, guesthouses and hostels.

12    Miscellaneous Goods and Services

Covers a wide range of items including hairdressing; goods for hygiene, hair and body care; personal goods such as jewellery, handbags and wallets; childcare and other social protection services; insurance, financial services and other services including funerals, weddings, legal and professional services.  The household charge was added to this division, in the CPI, under the item 'miscellaneous goods and services' in April 2012.  The household charge subsequently became the local property tax in July 2013. The local property tax is not included in the HICP.

HICP Flash Estimates

Under Regulation (EU) 2016/792, Ireland is obliged to send flash estimates to Eurostat as part of the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP). The flash estimates are compiled for the HICP All Items index and for the full COICOP sub-index breakdown of the HICP.

Eurostat publish the flash estimate, usually on the last working day of the reference month, which is about two weeks in advance of the final HICP. Their news release contains the EuroArea aggregate for the All Items HICP and nine major sub-indices. Since September 2019, Eurostat’s news release has also included a country table of annual and monthly changes in the HICP All Items flash estimate.

In line with Euro area countries, from November 2019, the CSO has agreed to allow publication of the annual and monthly changes in the HICP All Items flash estimate on the Eurostat website going forward. The HICP flash estimate will not appear on the CSO website.

Flash Estimate vs. Final HICP

The track record of the flash estimate as a predictor of the final HICP figure for Ireland has been good in years leading up to Eurostat publication. In recent years, inflation levels have been low and the published index and the monthly percentage change have been within zero or one percentage point of the flash estimate on most occasions – i.e. the final HICP has only minimally revised the flash estimate.

However, it should be noted that this is only a flash estimate and should be treated accordingly. The full quality control has not been completed to the same extent as the final HICP and in some instances missing prices have been imputed where price collection has not yet been completed in time for the flash estimate deadline.

In a period of higher inflation, the final HICP figure may diverge further from the earlier flash estimate.

Calculating percentage changes in the index

The movement of the CPI, HICP and their subindices are expressed as percentage changes, rather than changes in index points, because index point changes are affected by the level of the index in relation to its base period, whereas percentage changes are not.  The example below illustrates the computation of index point and percentage changes.

 

Index point change  
Current index 106.7
Less previous index 103.7
Equals index point change 3.0
   
Percentage change  
Index point change 3.0
Divided by the previous index 103.7
Equals 0.0289
Result multiplied by 100 0.0289 x 100
Equals percentage change 2.9

 

Estimating Contributions

A contribution represents the amount of the overall percentage change in the All Items CPI which is accounted for by any given category.  It can be estimated for any category in the CPI (e.g. the twelve COICOP 2-digit divisions) and for any period of time.

Data Required:

  1. Base weight for the category for which you wish to estimate the contribution.
  2. Current index for the category in question (same base period).
  3. Previous index for the category in question (same base period).
  4. All Items CPI for the previous period in question (i.e. the start period).

Example:

To estimate the contribution of Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (COICOP 01) to the overall annual percentage change in the CPI up to July 2006 you would need the following data

 

1 Base weight for COICOP 01 (base:December 2001=100) 14.092%
2 Current Index (i.e. July 2006) for COICOP 01 103.7
3 Previous Index (i.e. July 2005) for COICOP 01 102.1
4 All Items CPI for the previous period (i.e. July 2005) 111.3

                        

Steps in the calculation

Step 1 Multiply the base weight by the current index 14.092 x 103.7
  Equals (1) 1461.3404
Step 2 Multiply the base weight by the previous index 14.092 x 102.1
  Equals (2)  1438.7932
Step 3 Subtract figure (2) from figure (1) 1461.3404 - 1438.7932
  Equals (3) 22.5472
Step 4 Divide figure (3) by the All Items CPI for the previous period 22.5472 / 111.3
  Equals Contribution 0.20

                                                                                                                                              

Therefore your estimated contribution of Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages to the percentage change in the CPI for the year to July 2006 is 0.20.  The actual published figure was 0.19.  The difference is due to the fact that actual published contributions are calculated using data to more decimal places.

It is more complicated to estimate contributions where more than one base period is involved, as the base weights will have changed (e.g. to estimate a contribution for the period January 2000 to January 2005 involves the November 1996=100 base and the December 2001=100 base).  For assistance in this regard please contact the CPI section.

Data Dissemination on www.cso.ie

The CSO website (www.cso.ie) now holds a range of CPI data.  Within the Consumer Prices section of the website (accessed via the ‘Prices’ link on the homepage), a range of principle statistics are held including overall annual percentage changes from 1977 to date, All Items CPI annual figures from 1996 to date and COICOP division monthly and annual figures from 2002 to date.

Further data can be accessed at www.cso.ie by clicking on ‘Databases’ and ‘PxStat CSO Main Data Dissemination Service’.  The subject area is ‘Economy’, ‘Prices’, ‘Consumer Prices’ and ‘Consumer Prices - Annual Series’ or ‘Consumer Prices - Monthly Series’.  The website is updated each month at 11am on the CPI publication day.

The Database Direct for the CPI contains monthly and annual index numbers and percentage changes for the following categories and time periods:

 

Category  Period
All Items CPI  1975 to date
12 COICOP Divisions  1975 to date

Special CPI Subindices (CPI excluding Tobacco, Energy Products, etc.)

1982 to date
Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (HICP) 1997 to date

                                                                                                                                                                                                             

In addition, the following data can also be accessed within Database Direct.

  • National average prices for selected CPI goods and services from January 1997 to date.
  • All Items CPI numbers for various base periods from 1922 to date.
  • Detailed sub-indices are available from 2003 to date. 

Any queries relating to the usage of the web dissemination database for CPI data should be directed to cpi@cso.ie

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