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For more information on this release:
E-mail: cpi@cso.ie Colin Cotter (+353) 21 453 5770 Maeve Ahern (+353) 21 453 5924 Ann Ross (+353) 21 453 5427
For general information on CSO statistics:
information@cso.ie (+353) 21 453 5000 On-line ISSN 2009-5767
CSO statistical release, , 11am

Consumer Price Index

October 2019

CPI and HICP
 CPI HICP
 % monthly change % annual change % monthly change % annual change
Jun 20190.2 1.1 0.2 1.1
Jul 2019-0.2 0.5 -0.2 0.5
Aug 20190.5 0.7 0.4 0.6
Sep 2019-0.2 0.9 -0.3 0.6
Oct 2019-0.3 0.7 -0.2 0.6

Prices rise by 0.7% in the year to October 2019

Figure 1: CPI/HICP - ALL ITEMS Annual Percentage Change
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HICP flash estimates
Eurostat publish the HICP flash estimate generally two weeks ahead of the final HICP figures. From November 2019, the Eurostat news release will include the HICP flash estimate for Ireland.

 

Prices on average, as measured by the CPI, were 0.7% higher in October compared with October 2018.

Consumer Prices in October, as measured by the CPI, decreased by 0.3% in the month.  During October of last year, prices fell by 0.1% in the month.  The most significant monthly price changes were decreases in Clothing & Footwear (-1.7%), Restaurants & Hotels (-0.6%) and Transport (-0.6%).  There were increases in Education (+4.5%) and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+0.3%).The most notable changes in the year were increases in Education (+4.6%), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+3.2%), Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+2.7%) and Restaurants & Hotels (+2.6%).  There were decreases in Communications (-6.5%), Clothing & Footwear (-2.5%), Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-2.1%) and Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages (-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 upward contribution to the CPI in the year were Restaurants & Hotels (+0.46%), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+0.46%), Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+0.16%) and Miscellaneous Goods & Services (+0.12%).

The divisions which caused the largest downward contribution to the CPI in the year were Communications (-0.19%), Transport (-0.14%), Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages (-0.13%) and Clothing & Footwear (-0.12%).

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

  • Restaurants & Hotels increased primarily due to higher prices for alcoholic drinks and food consumed in licensed premises, restaurants, cafes etc. and an increase in the cost of hotel accommodation.
  • Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels rose mainly due to higher rents and mortgage interest repayments in addition to an increase in the cost of electricity and gas. This increase was partially offset by a reduction in the price of home heating oil.
  • Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco increased primarily due to higher prices for tobacco products.
  • Miscellaneous Goods & Services rose mainly due to higher health insurance premiums, higher prices for hairdressing salons & personal grooming establishments and an increase in the cost of childcare services.  This increase was partially offset by lower prices for appliances, articles & products for personal care and lower motor insurance premiums.
  • Communications fell due to a reduction in the cost of telephone & telefax equipment and telephone & telefax services.
  • Transport decreased mainly due to lower prices for diesel and petrol and a decrease in airfares.  This decrease was partially offset by higher prices for motor cars and services in respect of personal transport equipment.
  • Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages fell due to lower prices across a range of products such as vegetables, sugar, jam, honey, chocolate & confectionery and mineral waters, soft drinks, fruit & vegetable juices.
  • Clothing & Footwear decreased due to sales.

Contributions to the overall CPI – monthly change

The divisions which caused the largest downward contribution to the CPI in the month were Restaurants & Hotels (-0.12%) and Transport (-0.09%).  The divisions which caused the largest upward contribution in the month were Education (+0.08%) and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+0.03%).

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

  • Restaurants & Hotels fell mainly due to lower prices for hotel accommodation.
  • Transport decreased primarily due to a reduction in air fares which was partially offset by higher prices for diesel and petrol.
  • Education increased mainly due to extra costs associated with participating in third level education.
  • Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels rose primarily due to an increase in the price of home heating oil.

CPI sub-indices

The sub index for Services rose by 2.7% in the year to October, while Goods decreased by 1.8%.  Services, excluding mortgage interest repayments, increased by 2.7% in the year since October 2018.

The CPI excluding tobacco decreased by 0.3% in the month of October and rose by 0.6% in the year.  The CPI excluding mortgage interest decreased by 0.2% in the month and rose by 0.7% in the year.

Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices

Prices on average, as measured by the EU Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), increased by 0.6% compared with October 2018.

The most notable changes in the year were increases in Education (+4.5%), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+3.2%), Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+2.6%) and Restaurants & Hotels (+2.5%).  There were decreases in Communications (-6.5%), Clothing & Footwear (-2.5%), Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-2.0%) and Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages (-1.3%).

The HICP decreased by 0.2% in the month.  This compares to a decrease of 0.2% recorded in October of last year.

The most significant monthly price changes were decreases in Clothing & Footwear (-1.6%) and Transport (-0.7%).  There were increases in Education (+4.4%) and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+0.3%).

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-1.1
Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco2.7
Clothing & Footwear-2.5
Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, etc.3.2
Furnishings, Household Equipment, etc.-2.1
Health0.8
Transport-0.9
Communications-6.5
Recreation & Culture1.6
Education4.6
Restaurants & Hotels2.6
Miscellaneous Goods & Services1
ALL ITEMS0.7
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
2012Year99.9 101.1     1.7
2013Year100.4 101.6     0.5
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
           
2016January99.2 100.4 -0.8 -1.2 0.1
 February99.6 100.8 0.4 -0.5 -0.1
 March100.0 101.2 0.4 0.0 -0.3
 April100.2 101.4 0.2 1.0 -0.1
 May100.7 101.9 0.5 1.1 0.0
 June101.4 102.6 0.7 1.4 0.4
 July101.2 102.4 -0.2 1.0 0.5
 August101.0 102.2 -0.2 0.3 -0.1
 September100.6 101.8 -0.4 -0.8 0.0
 October100.1 101.3 -0.5 -1.1 -0.3
 November100.0 101.2 -0.1 -1.0 -0.1
 December100.0 101.2 0.0 -0.6 0.0
           
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
Table 2 Consumer Price Index Subindices - October 2019
Subindices  Consumer Price Index (CPI) Percentage changes
Weights         
2019 Dec. 2016=100Dec. 2011=100 1 month 3 months 12 months
CPI excluding Tobacco96.887 101.9102.5 -0.3 -0.1 0.6
CPI excluding Housing89.283 101.2102.7 -0.3 -0.2 0.3
CPI excluding Mortgage Interest97.347 102.3106.0 -0.2 0.0 0.7
CPI excluding Mortgage Interest and Local Property Tax96.860 102.3105.7 -0.2 0.0 0.7
CPI excluding Energy Products91.804 101.6103.7 -0.3 -0.1 1.0
CPI excluding Energy and Unprocessed Food86.458 101.9104.5 -0.4 -0.1 1.1
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 - October 2019
COICOP Division  Consumer Price Index (CPI) Percentage changes
Weights         
2019 Dec. 2016=100Dec. 2011=100 1 month 3 months 12 months
01Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages10.826 96.390.6 0.1 -0.7 -1.1
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco5.798 107.8123.1 0.1 0.4 2.7
03Clothing and Footwear4.734 93.079.8 -1.7 6.7 -2.5
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels14.472 112.0112.2 0.3 1.1 3.2
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance4.868 90.777.2 -0.3 1.3 -2.1
06Health3.247 102.1104.9 -0.3 -0.1 0.8
07Transport14.486 102.497.6 -0.6 -3.2 -0.9
08Communications2.959 92.984.9 0.0 -0.4 -6.5
09Recreation and Culture7.617 99.795.6 0.2 0.6 1.6
10Education1.842 107.9131.0 4.5 4.5 4.6
11Restaurants and Hotels18.383 108.3118.3 -0.6 -0.6 2.6
12Miscellaneous Goods and Services10.768 97.4113.1 -0.4 0.6 1.0
 ALL ITEMS100.000 102.3103.6 -0.3 0.0 0.7
 Of which:          
   Goods42.986 97.188.1 0.1 0.7 -1.8
   Services57.014 106.4116.9 -0.4 -0.5 2.7
   Energy Products8.196 110.9102.7 1.1 1.3 -1.4
   Utilities and Local Charges3.074 110.3122.8 -0.6 -0.6 3.3
   Alcohol9.890 104.0112.6 -0.5 -0.3 0.3
   Tobacco3.113 117.5150.9 1.9 2.0 6.8
   Mortgage Interest2.653 103.064.5 0.0 0.8 3.0
   Services excluding Mortgage Interest54.361 106.6123.0 -0.4 -0.5 2.7
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 - October 2019
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2019 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
01.1 Food9.6758 96.2 0.2-1.0
   01.1.1 Bread & Cereals1.4558 95.7 0.30.2
                   Rice0.0610 86.0 -2.3-5.2
                   Flours & other cereals0.0310 91.6 0.2-1.5
                   Bread0.4625 99.1 -0.11.8
                   Other bakery products0.4947 95.0 -0.5-1.1
                   Pizza & quiche0.0923 88.7 1.6-3.4
                   Pasta products & couscous0.0712 95.2 4.2-0.4
                   Breakfast cereals0.1641 96.4 1.22.3
                   Other cereal products0.0790 97.1 3.53.9
   01.1.2 Meat2.5127 96.6 0.0-0.1
                    Beef & veal0.4020 99.3 -0.32.0
                    Pork0.1432 103.2 -4.02.1
                    Lamb & goat0.1228 84.8 2.7-4.4
                    Poultry0.5992 94.0 -0.3-1.3
                    Edible offal0.0046 101.9 -0.11.6
                    Dried, salted or smoked meat0.4517 99.0 0.51.4
                    Other meat preparations0.7890 96.5 0.5-1.1
   01.1.3 Fish0.3828 92.1 -1.3-1.0
                   Fresh or chilled fish 0.1880 87.2 -2.1-1.0
                   Frozen fish0.0238 88.7 -1.8-2.6
                   Fresh or chilled seafood 0.0213 98.9 0.5-0.6
                   Dried, smoked or salted fish & seafood0.0361 103.4 -1.4-1.6
                   Other preserved or processed fish & seafood-based preparations0.1137 96.1 -0.2-0.5
   01.1.4 Milk, cheese & eggs1.3354 97.1 1.3-1.1
                   Fresh whole milk0.2933 100.1 0.00.1
                   Fresh low fat milk0.1733 99.8 0.0-0.1
                   Yoghurt0.2760 102.2 4.2-0.1
                   Cheese & curd 0.3000 89.7 1.8-4.1
                   Other milk products0.1216 92.9 -0.1-1.9
                   Eggs0.1712 97.4 0.40.1
   01.1.5 Oils & fats0.2836 104.6 1.5-0.1
                   Butter0.1430 113.4 2.10.5
                   Margarine & other vegetable fats0.0654 97.6 0.5-0.4
                   Olive oil0.0282 91.3 0.6-1.9
                   Other edible oils0.0469 96.5 1.5-0.5
   01.1.6 Fruit0.8461 98.2 0.5-0.7
                   Fresh or chilled fruit0.6916 99.0 0.8-1.0
                   Dried fruit & nuts0.1353 94.9 -0.50.7
                   Preserved fruit & fruit-based products0.0191 94.3 -2.5-0.4
   01.1.7 Vegetables1.6036 96.0 -0.5-2.9
                   Fresh or chilled vegetables other than potatoes & other tubers0.6877 94.2 -0.7-4.1
                   Frozen vegetables other than potatoes & other tubers0.0422 87.2 0.6-3.0
                   Dried vegetables, other preserved or processed vegetables0.3070 89.9 1.4-2.9
                   Potatoes0.3568 103.9 -3.8-3.5
                   Crisps0.1917 99.1 3.22.7
   01.1.8 Sugar, jam, honey, chocolate & confectionery0.7640 91.9 -0.2-3.2
                   Sugar0.0335 92.2 -0.5-4.4
                   Jams, marmalades & honey0.0781 85.7 1.1-6.7
                   Chocolate0.3655 94.9 -0.4-4.3
                   Confectionery products0.1438 89.9 0.2-0.1
                   Edible ices & ice cream0.1215 89.3 -0.9-0.6
                   Artifical sugar substitutes0.0215 89.0 -2.9-4.9
   01.1.9 Food products n.e.c. 0.4919 95.2 0.2-1.0
                   Sauces & condiments0.2191 94.3 0.7-1.0
                   Salt, spices & culinary herbs0.0460 96.9 -1.1-2.6
                   Baby food0.0327 98.4 0.30.9
                   Ready-made meals0.0895 98.2 1.1-0.6
                   Other food products n.e.c.0.1047 92.7 -1.3-1.2
01.2 Non-alcoholic beverages1.1499 97.2 -0.4-2.6
   01.2.1 Coffee, tea & cocoa0.2847 92.8 -0.9-3.6
                   Coffee0.1480 90.3 -5.1-8.2
                   Tea0.1244 96.0 3.61.8
                   Cocoa & powdered chocolate0.0124 87.4 4.9-5.5
   01.2.2 Mineral waters, soft drinks, fruit & vegetable juices0.8652 98.6 -0.1-2.1
                   Mineral or spring waters0.2073 97.0 1.0-6.0
                   Soft drinks0.3481 102.9 -1.8-1.5
                   Fruit & vegetable juices0.3098 94.8 1.20.0
Total 10.8258 96.3 0.1-1.1
Table 5 COICOP Division 02 Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco - October 2019
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2019 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
02.1 Alcoholic Beverages2.6844 98.5 -1.9-1.3
   02.1.1 Spirits0.4306 109.2 -3.2-0.6
   02.1.2 Wine1.3891 90.8 -2.7-2.6
   02.1.3 Beer0.8646 105.1 0.00.5
02.2 Tobacco3.1133 117.5 1.96.8
                   Cigarettes2.7456 117.2 1.96.6
                   Other tobacco products0.3677 119.8 1.57.7
Total5.7977 107.8 0.12.7
Table 6 COICOP Division 03 Clothing and Footwear - October 2019
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2019 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
03.1 Clothing3.9352 94.5 -1.4-2.1
   03.1.2 Garments3.6239 94.4 -1.4-2.0
   03.1.3 Other articles of clothing & clothing accessories0.2230 92.9 -0.1-4.3
   03.1.4 Cleaning, repair & hire of clothing0.0883 103.6 0.11.7
                   Dry cleaning & laundry0.0793 103.8 0.11.8
                   Dress hire & repair of clothing0.0090 101.7 0.00.6
03.2 Footwear0.7992 86.2 -3.4-4.6
   03.2.1 Shoes & other footwear0.7946 86.1 -3.4-4.7
   03.2.2 Repair & hire of footwear0.0045 102.9 0.01.4
Total4.7344 93.0 -1.7-2.5
Table 7 COICOP Division 04 Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels - October 2019
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2019 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
04.1/04.2 Actual rentals for housing & mortgage interest9.2400 113.0 0.14.4
   04.1.1 Actual rentals paid by tenants (Rents)6.5871 117.5 0.25.1
                   Private Rents5.6955 117.8 0.25.1
                   Local Authority Rents0.8916 115.9 0.05.2
   04.2.1 Mortgage Interest 2.6529 103.0 0.03.0
04.3 Maintenance & repair of the dwelling0.9264 107.1 0.23.0
   04.3.1 Materials for the maintenance & repair of the dwelling0.3798 104.5 0.61.1
   04.3.2 Services for the maintenance & repair of the dwelling0.5466 108.5 0.04.2
04.4 Water supply & miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling 0.3052 101.9 0.00.8
04.5 Electricity, gas & other fuels4.0007 111.5 0.50.5
   04.5.1 Electricity2.1030 112.0 -0.34.2
   04.5.2 Gas0.6994 111.2 -1.82.0
                   Natural gas0.6522 111.8 -1.82.2
                   Bottled gas0.0472 103.2 0.0-0.2
   04.5.3 Liquid fuels (Home Heating Oil)0.7287 116.3 5.1-8.8
   04.5.4 Solid fuels0.4696 102.8 0.30.9
Total14.4724 112.0 0.33.2
Table 8 COICOP Division 05 Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance - October 2019
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2019 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
05.1 Furniture & furnishings, carpets & other floor coverings1.4109 85.6 -1.2-4.7
   05.1.1 Furniture & furnishings1.3282 85.3 -1.2-4.8
   05.1.2 Carpets & other floor coverings0.0827 96.8 -0.2-1.5
05.2 Household textiles0.4395 74.5 -2.4-9.0
05.3 Household appliances0.4592 91.7 0.2-2.6
   05.3.1 Major household appliances whether electric or not0.3427 92.3 0.1-2.1
   05.3.2 Small electric household appliances0.0853 84.7 1.1-5.3
   05.3.3 Repair of household appliances0.0312 102.2 0.00.7
05.4 Glassware, tableware & household utensils0.2704 82.8 -2.4-4.2
05.5 Tools & equipment for house & garden0.2269 93.5 -0.2-2.2
   05.5.1 Major tools & equipment0.0759 89.8 -0.1-3.3
   05.5.2 Small tools & miscellaneous accessories0.1510 95.7 -0.2-1.6
05.6 Goods & services for routine household maintenance2.0613 99.0 0.91.6
   05.6.1 Non-durable household goods0.8869 82.7 2.1-4.4
   05.6.2 Domestic services & household services1.1744 115.4 0.06.1
Total4.8683 90.7 -0.3-2.1
Table 9 COICOP Division 06 Health - October 2019
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2019 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
06.1 Medical products, appliances & equipment0.9843 95.0 -0.8-2.1
   06.1.1 Pharmaceutical products0.7967 94.6 -0.1-1.5
                   Prescribed drugs0.4993 92.7 0.0-1.5
                   Other medicines0.2974 97.8 -0.3-1.4
   06.1.2 Other medical products0.0223 99.1 1.40.0
   06.1.3 Therapeutic appliances & equipment0.1653 96.7 -4.5-5.4
06.2 Out-patient services2.0304 106.1 0.02.3
   06.2.1/3 Medical & paramedical services1.3591 106.3 0.02.3
                   Doctors' fees1.1776 106.5 0.02.3
                   Other medical & paramedical services0.1814 105.2 0.22.0
   06.2.2 Dental services0.6713 105.6 0.02.1
06.3 Hospital services0.2320 100.8 0.00.0
Total3.2466 102.1 -0.30.8
Table 10 COICOP Division 07 Transport - October 2019
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2019 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
07.1 Purchase of vehicles5.1776 100.2 0.10.8
   07.1.1 Motor cars5.0900 100.3 0.20.9
   07.1.2 Motor cycles0.0284 103.4 0.00.6
   07.1.3 Bicycles0.0592 93.9 0.21.0
07.2 Operation of personal transport equipment7.0370 107.0 0.7-1.6
   07.2.1 Spare parts & accessories for personal transport equipment0.4278 102.3 0.0-0.8
   07.2.2 Fuels & lubricants for personal transport equipment4.1956 110.3 1.6-3.2
                   Petrol2.1478 110.0 1.3-2.7
                   Diesel2.0419 110.6 1.9-3.8
                   Motor oil0.0060 105.5 0.12.3
   07.2.3 Maintenance & repair of personal transport equipment0.7507 102.4 0.01.6
   07.2.4 Other services in respect of personal transport equipment1.6628 102.2 -1.31.5
                   Motor tax0.7070 100.0 0.00.0
                   Other vehicle costs0.9558 103.8 -2.22.6
07.3 Transport services2.2716 93.3 -6.2-2.8
   07.3.1 Passenger transport by railway0.2046 103.6 0.01.7
   07.3.2 Passenger transport by road0.7406 103.3 0.01.2
                   Bus fares0.5259 103.1 0.01.7
                   Taxi fares0.2147 103.7 0.00.0
   07.3.3 Passenger transport by air1.2285 86.0 -11.2-6.3
   07.3.4 Passenger transport by sea & inland waterway0.0498 103.1 -3.13.3
   07.3.5 Combined passenger transport0.0209 100.2 0.0-0.8
   07.3.6 Other purchased transport services0.0272 105.6 0.11.6
Total14.4862 102.4 -0.6-0.9
Table 11 COICOP Division 08 Communications - October 2019
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2019 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
08.1 Postal services0.1276 124.3 0.02.1
08.2/3.0 Telephone & telefax equipment and telephone & telefax services2.8315 91.5 -0.1-6.9
Total2.9591 92.9 0.0-6.5
Table 12 COICOP Division 09 Recreation and Culture - October 2019
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2019 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
09.1 Audio-visual, photographic & information processing equipment0.2608 73.4 2.7-6.5
   09.1.1 Equipment for the reception, recording & reproduction of sound & pictures 0.0906 69.7 -0.7-11.1
   09.1.2 Photographic & cinematographic equipment & optical instruments0.0221 84.7 -0.6-5.0
   09.1.3 Information processing equipment0.0829 51.5 0.8-9.2
   09.1.4 Recording media0.0590 100.9 12.13.4
   09.1.5 Repair of audio-visual, photographic & information processing equipment0.0061 100.1 0.0-1.7
09.2 Other major durables for recreation & culture0.0101 94.5 -0.61.2
09.3 Other recreational items & equipment, gardens & pets1.2710 87.5 -0.1-4.6
   09.3.1 Games, toys & hobbies0.3690 81.3 0.4-9.8
   09.3.2 Equipment for sport, camping & open-air recreation0.1324 72.8 0.0-11.0
   09.3.3 Gardens, plants & flowers0.3431 90.6 -0.4-2.6
   09.3.4/5 Pets & related products including veterinary & other services for pets0.4264 99.4 -0.40.3
09.4 Recreational & cultural services4.1792 104.6 0.03.1
   09.4.1 Recreational & sporting services2.3033 110.8 0.04.0
                   Sports admittance0.1512 116.7 0.010.9
                   Sports participation1.2009 113.1 0.06.0
                   Club & society subscriptions0.9272 107.0 0.00.7
   09.4.2 Cultural services1.8759 100.7 0.02.0
                   Cinema0.1900 107.1 -0.22.6
                   Nightclubs0.0805 102.2 0.00.4
                   Cultural admittance0.3025 102.3 0.09.6
                   Television services1.2360 98.6 0.00.0
                   Other entertainment0.0669 107.4 0.33.7
09.5 Newspapers, books & stationery0.7564 104.7 0.62.4
   09.5.1 Books0.1713 102.2 0.6-1.1
   09.5.2 Newspapers & periodicals0.3036 111.8 0.07.2
   09.5.3/4 Miscellaneous printed matter and stationery & drawing materials0.2816 96.9 1.3-0.5
09.6 Package holidays1.1395 103.9 0.44.3
Total7.6171 99.7 0.21.6
Table 13 COICOP Division 10 Education - October 2019
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2019 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
10.1 Pre-primary & primary education0.1184 101.7 0.70.7
10.2 Secondary education0.2615 106.4 2.72.7
10.4 Tertiary education1.2985 109.5 5.65.7
10.5 Education not definable by level0.1633 102.0 0.00.7
Total1.8417 107.9 4.54.6
Table 14 COICOP Division 11 Restaurants and Hotels - October 2019
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2019 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
11.1 Catering services16.3120 107.1 0.02.7
   11.1.1 Restaurants, cafes & the like15.5211 107.3 0.02.8
                  Licenced premises8.1385 106.3 0.00.9
                      Spirits0.5220 107.0 0.21.2
                      Wine1.9944 105.6 0.01.0
                      Beer4.6893 106.2 -0.10.6
                      Soft drinks & mineral water0.9328 107.6 0.01.1
                  Restaurants, cafes, fast food & take-away food7.3826 108.4 -0.14.8
   11.1.2 Canteens0.7909 103.0 0.02.1
11.2 Accommodation services2.0711 118.1 -4.94.1
Total18.3831 108.3 -0.62.6
Table 15 COICOP Division 12 Miscellaneous Goods and Services - October 2019
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2019 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
12.1 Personal care2.4477 94.6 -0.6-0.5
   12.1.1 Hairdressing salons & personal grooming establishments0.9110 107.0 -0.14.9
                     Hairdressing0.6824 109.3 -0.26.2
                     Health & beauty treatments0.2286 100.1 0.00.9
   12.1.2 Electric appliances for personal care0.0318 86.7 -0.7-8.9
   12.1.3 Other appliances, articles & products for personal care1.5048 88.3 -1.1-3.8
                     Hygiene products0.3811 91.5 -2.6-2.9
                     Hair products0.1829 85.4 -4.4-7.1
                     Cosmetics & skincare products0.5860 89.7 0.1-3.4
                     Toilet accessories0.3550 84.1 0.4-3.4
12.3 Personal effects n.e.c.0.7424 82.9 -1.0-4.7
   12.3.1 Jewellery, clocks & watches0.4408 92.8 -0.1-1.7
   12.3.2 Other personal effects0.3016 73.7 -2.1-9.1
12.4 Social protection1.2953 106.4 1.02.8
                     Childcare1.1389 106.4 1.23.0
                     Other social protection0.1565 106.8 0.32.3
12.5 Insurance4.5668 97.6 -0.82.6
   12.5.2 Insurance connected with the dwelling0.3902 105.4 0.3-0.5
   12.5.3 Insurance connected with health3.1781 104.6 0.05.5
   12.5.4 Insurance connected with transport0.9985 78.3 -3.9-5.3
                  Motor insurance0.9696 77.6 -4.1-5.5
                     Motor cycle insurance0.0064 89.3 0.00.0
                     Motor car insurance0.9632 77.5 -4.1-5.6
                  Travel insurance0.0289 102.4 0.00.2
12.6 Financial services n.e.c.0.3872 100.2 0.10.6
12.7 Other services n.e.c.1.3282 103.2 0.00.4
Total10.7676 97.4 -0.41.0
Table 16 Consumer Price Index Goods and Services by COICOP Division - October 2019
COICOP DivisionWeights 2019 Index       Percentage changes
    Dec. 2016=100    
          
OverallGoodsServices GoodsServices GoodsServicesOverall
       12 months12 months12 months
01Food and Non Alcoholic Beverages10.82610.826- 96.3- -1.1--1.1
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco5.7985.798- 107.8- 2.7-2.7
03Clothing and Footwear4.7344.6420.093 92.8103.6 -2.61.7-2.5
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels 14.4721.62512.847 109.3112.3 -4.04.23.2
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance4.8683.6531.215 84.4114.9 -4.65.9-2.1
06Health3.2470.9842.262 95.0105.5 -2.12.00.8
07Transport14.4869.8014.685 104.697.8 -1.1-0.6-0.9
08Communications2.9591.2231.736 55.899.8 -17.7-2.0-6.5
09Recreation and Culture7.6172.1555.462 90.7104.6 -2.73.41.6
10Education1.842-1.842 -107.9 -4.64.6
11Restaurants and Hotels18.383-18.383 -108.3 -2.62.6
12Miscellaneous Goods & Services10.7682.2798.489 86.7100.6 -4.22.51.0
ALL ITEMS100.00042.98657.014 97.1106.4 -1.82.70.7
Table 17 Contributions to the change in the All Items CPI - October 2019
COICOP DivisionPercentage contributions
1 month 3 months 12 months
01Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages0.01 -0.08 -0.13
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco0.01 0.02 0.16
03Clothing and Footwear-0.08 0.28 -0.12
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels0.03 0.16 0.46
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance-0.01 0.06 -0.10
06Health-0.01 0.00 0.03
07Transport-0.09 -0.49 -0.14
08Communications0.00 -0.01 -0.19
09Recreation and Culture0.01 0.04 0.12
10Education0.08 0.08 0.08
11Restaurants and Hotels-0.12 -0.11 0.46
12Miscellaneous Goods and Services-0.04 0.07 0.12
 All Items % change-0.3 0.0 0.7 
 Goods0.02 0.30 -0.77
 Services-0.24 -0.28 1.53
 Energy Products0.08 0.10 -0.13
 Tobacco0.06 0.06 0.19
 Mortgage Interest0.00 0.02 0.08
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
2016January98.7100.0 -0.90.00.0
 February99.1100.0 0.4-0.20.0
 March99.499.9 0.3-0.60.0
 April99.799.9 0.3-0.20.0
 May100.299.9 0.5-0.20.0
 June100.999.9 0.70.1-0.1
 July100.699.9 -0.30.1-0.1
 August100.499.9 -0.2-0.4-0.1
 September100.099.9 -0.4-0.3-0.1
 October99.699.8 -0.4-0.4-0.2
 November99.599.8 -0.1-0.2-0.2
 December99.499.8 -0.1-0.2-0.2
        
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
Table 19 EU Harmonised Consumer Price COICOP Division Indices - October 2019 Ireland
COICOP DivisionHICP Percentage changes Percentage contributions
Year 2015=100 1 month 12 months 1 month 12 months
01Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages93.4 0.1 -1.3 0.01 -0.14
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco108.7 0.1 2.6 0.01 0.17
03Clothing and Footwear90.8 -1.6 -2.5 -0.08 -0.12
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels117.4 0.3 3.2 0.03 0.38
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance86.2 -0.2 -2.0 -0.01 -0.10
06Health102.4 -0.1 0.4 -0.01 0.03
07Transport98.7 -0.7 -1.0 -0.09 -0.15
08Communications90.8 0.0 -6.5 0.00 -0.20
09Recreation and Culture97.2 0.2 1.6 0.01 0.13
10Education112.9 4.4 4.5 0.09 0.09
11Restaurants and Hotels110.2 -0.6 2.5 -0.13 0.49
12Miscellaneous Goods and Services95.8 -0.4 0.1 -0.03 0.00
All Items HICP101.8 -0.2 0.6 -0.2 0.6
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 2005=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, 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 ‘StatBank 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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