Press release No. 161 of 12 May 2026
Consumer price index, April 2026:
+2.9% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+0.6% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
Harmonised index of consumer prices, April 2026
+2.9% on the same month a year earlier (provisional result confirmed)
+0.5% on the previous month (provisional result confirmed)
WIESBADEN − The inflation rate in Germany, measured as the year-on-year change in the consumer price index (CPI), stood at +2.9% in April 2026. The rise in overall consumer prices intensified again, after having stood at +2.7% in March 2026. In February 2026, it had been +1.9%. A rate of inflation as high as that of April 2026 was last recorded in January 2024. "Overall inflation increased for the second consecutive month as a result of another rise in energy prices that was due to the Iran war. Consumers are particularly feeling the persistent price pressure regarding motor fuels," says Ruth Brand, President of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). Compared with March 2026, consumer prices increased by 0.6% in April 2026.
Energy product prices up 10.1% compared with April 2025
The prices of energy products (total) were 10.1% higher in April 2026 than in April 2025. As in March 2026 (+7.2%), energy prices therefore increased markedly after dropping by 1.9% in February 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier. These price increases are largely due to the conflict in Iran and the Middle East and the ensuing price developments on the crude oil market (only in German). Year on year, particularly sharp price increases were registered for motor fuels (+26.2%) in April 2026. The comparison with earlier oil crises and economic crises shows that the rise in energy product prices was much more pronounced immediately after the beginning of the war in Ukraine (see press release no. N029 (only in German) of 7 May 2026).
The price of heating oil (+55.1% compared with April 2025), which falls under household energy, increased even more than that of motor fuel. However, since heating oil accounts only for a small share of household final consumption expenditure, household energy (total) still cost less than in the same month a year earlier (-0.3%). Electricity (-4.5%), natural gas including operating costs (-3.0%) and district heating (-1.1%) remained less expensive compared with April 2025. This is in part attributable to the measures implemented by the Federal Government which have been implemented since the beginning of the year. The most recent measures such as the reduction of energy tax on motor fuels have not had any impact yet as they entered into force on 1 May 2026.
Food prices registered below-average increase of +1.2% compared with previous year
Food prices were 1.2% higher in April 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier (March 2026: +0.9%). In April 2026, price increases continued to be recorded, particularly for sugar, jam, honey and other confectionery (+6.6%, including chocolate: +9.7%). Higher prices were recorded also for fish, fish products and seafood (+3.7%), meat and meat products, and fruit (both +3.6%). Consumers benefited from lower prices for edible fats and oils (-13.9%, including butter: -25.4%; olive oil: -8.9%). Potatoes (-14.4%) and dairy products (-5.6%) also cost less, whereas eggs (+14.6%) were substantially more expensive.
Inflation rate excluding food and energy at +2.3%
In April 2026, the inflation rate excluding energy stood at +2.2%, and the inflation rate excluding heating oil and motor fuels was +1.9%. The inflation rate excluding food and energy, often referred to as core inflation, was +2.3% in April 2026.
Prices of goods up 2.9% on April 2025
The prices of goods (total) were 2.9% higher in April 2026 than a year earlier. Non-durable consumer goods cost 4.2% more and the prices of durable consumer goods rose by 0.6%. Aside from energy products (+10.1%) and food (+1.2%), other products were also more expensive, in particular non-alcoholic beverages (+4.1%, including coffee, tea and cocoa: +11.2%) and tobacco products (+6.2%). By contrast, lower prices were recorded for major household appliances (-2.4%) and consumer electronics (-6.1%), for example.
Service prices up 2.8% year on year
The prices of services (total) were 2.8% higher in April 2026 than a year earlier. The price increases observed for services were therefore slightly lower than overall inflation. Year on year, particularly sharp price increases were registered for social protection services (+6.8%) and combined passenger transport services (+6.2%). Compared with the previous year, substantial price increases were also observed in April 2026 for the maintenance and repair of vehicles (+5.0%), recreational and cultural services (+3.9%), water supply and miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling, and catering services in restaurants, cafés and the like (both +3.2%). Net rents exclusive of heating expenses (+1.8% on the same month of the previous year) continued to be a significant factor contributing to the overall development of prices in April 2026. Prices were down on the same month a year earlier for only a few services such as package holidays (-3.5%).
Prices (total) up 0.6% month on month, energy up 2.1%
Compared with March 2026, the consumer price index was up 0.6% in April 2026. As a result of the conflict in Iran and the Middle East, energy prices rose again, by 2.1% (+7.7% in March on February 2026). In particular, consumers had to face marked price increases when purchasing heating oil (+4.7%) and motor fuels (+4.3%, including diesel fuel: +6.1%). The prices of food (total) increased moderately by 0.4%. Fresh vegetables (+4.4%) and potatoes (+3.3%), for example, were more expensive, but fresh fruit, in particular, was less expensive (-1.0%). Air tickets (-3.2%) and package holidays (-2.9%) also cost less in April 2026 than in March 2026.
Methodological notes:
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) is calculated in addition to the national consumer price index (CPI) to enable comparisons within the euro area. The HICP is the key measure for quantifying price stability within the framework of European monetary policy and is generally derived from the same data material on which the national CPI is based.
Apart from the individual purposes they serve, the CPI and the HICP differ in terms of coverage, methodology and weighting.
With effect from January 2026, substantial changes have been made to the HICP with regard to methodology and the classification used. Furthermore, the HICP result uses 2025 as the index base (2025=100) for the first time from reference month January 2026 onwards. Up-to-date information on the changes concerning the HICP is provided in a web article on the "Consumer price index" page of the website of the Federal Statistical Office. Explanatory notes and a methodological paper are also available there.
Overall index / subindex | Weighting | Change on same period of previous year | Change on the previous month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Index | ||||
in per mill | % | |||
| 1: Core inflation | ||||
| Overall index | 1,000.00 | 125.2 | 2.9 | 0.6 |
| Food and non-alcoholic-beverages | 119.04 | 138.6 | 1.5 | 0.4 |
| Food | 104.69 | 138.1 | 1.2 | 0.4 |
| Non-alcoholic beverages | 14.35 | 141.9 | 4.1 | 0.1 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 35.26 | 130.6 | 4.3 | 0.5 |
| Clothing and footwear | 42.25 | 112.7 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 259.25 | 119.1 | 1.6 | 0.3 |
| Actual net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 68.30 | 112.0 | 2.2 | 0.2 |
| Imputed net rent exclusive of heating expenses | 104.13 | 110.6 | 1.7 | 0.2 |
| Household energy | 43.44 | 146.4 | -0.3 | 0.5 |
| Electricity | 24.50 | 118.9 | -4.5 | -0.3 |
| Furniture, lighting equipment, appliances and other household equipment | 67.78 | 118.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Health | 55.49 | 112.8 | 2.0 | 0.1 |
| Transport | 138.22 | 137.4 | 7.8 | 1.5 |
| Motor fuels | 30.46 | 173.3 | 26.2 | 4.3 |
| Communication | 23.35 | 99.2 | 0.9 | 0.1 |
| Recreation and culture | 104.23 | 117.9 | 1.1 | 0.3 |
| Package holidays | 13.22 | 127.9 | -3.5 | -2.9 |
| Education | 9.06 | 124.4 | 4.5 | 0.2 |
| Restaurant and accommodation services | 47.20 | 135.1 | 3.4 | 0.6 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 98.87 | 132.3 | 5.0 | 0.9 |
| Social protection services | 27.75 | 142.1 | 6.8 | 0.5 |
| Insurance services | 22.56 | 136.3 | 5.5 | 2.8 |
| Overall index, excluding food and energy 1 | 821.41 | 120.6 | 2.3 | 0.3 |
More information:
Detailed results can be found in the tables on the consumer price index (61111-0004) and (61111-0006) and on the harmonised index of consumer prices (61121-0002) and (61121-0006) in the GENESIS-Online database. Special items shown in Tables 61111-0006 and 61121-0006 contain CPI and HICP results which are used to measure "core inflation".
Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Union, has released provisional results on Euro area inflation for April 2026 (available on Eurostat’s website under News > Euro indicators).
CPI results can also be found on the "Economic Dashboard" (www.dashboard-konjunktur.de) (only in German). In this data portal, the Federal Statistical Office brings together up-to-date indicators from official statistics producers and other data providers on the topics of the economy, finance, the labour market, construction and energy.
Data on the war in the Middle East and its consequences are provided on a special page (www.destatis.de/nahost) on the website of the Federal Statistical Office. This page includes information on energy supply and the development of energy prices, air and maritime transport, and foreign trade with the region.
Consumers can use the Personal Inflation Calculator of the Federal Statistical Office to adapt their monthly consumption expenditure on individual product groups according to their own consumption patterns and to calculate their personal inflation rate. In addition, the Price Kaleidoscope gives an overview of the price trend and the weights of various products.