Back to Top

 Skip navigation

Extra information
For more information on this release:
E-mail: cpi@cso.ie
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

June 2021

CPI and HICP
 CPI HICP
 % monthly change % annual change % monthly change % annual change
Feb 20210.4 -0.4 0.3 -0.4
Mar 20210.8 0.0 0.9 0.1
Apr 20210.7 1.1 0.6 1.1
May 20210.1 1.7 0.2 1.9
Jun 20210.2 1.6 0.1 1.6

Prices rise by 1.6% in the year to June 2021

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

Methodology change for Clothing, Footwear and Travel Goods 

Prices on average, as measured by the CPI, were 1.6% higher in June compared with June 2020.

The most notable changes in the year were increases in Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+4.9%), Transport (+3.1%), Health (+2.4%) and Restaurants & Hotels (+1.7%).  There were decreases in Communications (-1.6%), Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.8%), Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages (-0.3%) and Clothing & Footwear (-0.1%).

Consumer Prices in June, as measured by the CPI, increased by 0.2% in the month.  During June of last year, prices rose by 0.3% in the month.  The most significant monthly price changes were increases in Transport (+1.7%) and Health (+0.3%).  There were decreases in Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.9%) and Miscellaneous Goods & Services (-0.5%).

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 Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+0.74%), Transport (+0.37%), Restaurants & Hotels (+0.19%) and Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+0.14%).

The divisions which caused the largest downward contribution to the CPI in the year were Communications (-0.05%), Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.04%) and Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages (-0.01%).

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

  • Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels rose mainly due to an increase in the cost of home heating oil, electricity, gas, higher rents and mortgage interest repayments.
  • Transport increased primarily due to an increase in the cost of diesel and petrol, higher prices for motor cars and a rise in the cost of services in respect of personal transport equipment. This increase was partially offset by a reduction in air fares.
  • Restaurants & Hotels rose mainly due to higher prices for alcoholic drinks and food consumed in licensed premises, restaurants, cafes etc. This increase was partially offset by lower prices for hotel accommodation.
  • Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco increased due to a rise in the cost of tobacco products and higher prices for wine and spirits sold in supermarkets and off licences.
  • Communications fell due to a decrease in the cost of telephone and telefax services and telephone and telefax equipment.
  • Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance decreased primarily due to lower prices for non-durable household goods and household textiles. This decrease was partially offset by an increase in the cost of major household appliances.
  • Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages fell due to lower prices across a range of products such as meat.

Contributions to the overall CPI – monthly change

The divisions which caused the largest upward contribution to the CPI in the month were Transport (+0.23%) and Restaurants & Hotels (+0.03%).  The divisions which caused the largest downward contribution in the month were Miscellaneous Goods & Services (-0.07%) and Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.05%).

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

  • Transport rose primarily due to an increase in airfares, higher prices for diesel, petrol and motor cars and a rise in the cost of services in respect of personal transport equipment.
  • Restaurants & Hotels increased due to higher prices for hotel accommodation.  This increase was partially offset by lower prices for alcoholic drinks and food consumed in licensed premises, restaurants, cafes etc.
  • Miscellaneous Goods & Services fell mainly due to lower prices for appliances, articles & products for personal care and jewellery.  This decrease was partially offset by higher health insurance premiums.
  • Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance decreased primarily due to lower prices for non-durable household goods.

CPI sub-indices

The sub index for Services rose by 1.2% in the year to June, while Goods increased by 1.7%.  Services, excluding mortgage interest repayments, increased by 1.2% in the year since June 2020.

The CPI excluding tobacco increased by 0.1% in the month of June and rose by 1.5% in the year.  The CPI excluding mortgage interest increased by 0.2% in the month and rose by 1.5% in the year.

Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices

Prices on average, as measured by the EU Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), increased by 1.6% compared with June 2020.

The most notable changes in the year were increases in Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+5.6%), Health (+4.4%), Transport (+3.1%) and Restaurants & Hotels (+1.7%).  There were decreases in Communications (-1.6%), Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.7%), Miscellaneous Goods & Services (-0.6%) and Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages (-0.3%).

The HICP increased by 0.1% in the month.  This compares to an increase of 0.4% recorded in June of last year.

The most significant monthly price changes were increases in Transport (+1.7%) and Recreation & Culture (+0.3%). There were decreases in Miscellaneous Goods & Services (-1.4%) and Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.8%).

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-0.3
Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco1.6
Clothing & Footwear-0.1
Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, etc.4.9
Furnishings, Household Equipment, etc.-0.8
Health2.4
Transport3.1
Communications-1.6
Recreation & Culture1.1
Education0.2
Restaurants & Hotels1.7
Miscellaneous Goods & Services0.3
ALL ITEMS1.6
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
           
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
           
2021January101.5 102.8 0.1 0.7 -0.2
 February101.9 103.1 0.4 0.8 -0.4
 March102.7 103.9 0.8 1.3 0.0
 April103.4 104.6 0.7 1.9 1.1
 May103.5 104.8 0.1 1.6 1.7
 June103.7 104.9 0.2 1.0 1.6
Table 2 Consumer Price Index Subindices - June 2021
Subindices  Consumer Price Index (CPI) Percentage changes
Weights         
2021 Dec. 2016=100Dec. 2011=100 1 month 3 months 12 months
CPI excluding Tobacco97.447 103.1103.7 0.1 0.9 1.5
CPI excluding Housing87.803 102.6104.1 0.2 1.0 1.5
CPI excluding Mortgage Interest97.225 103.6107.3 0.2 1.0 1.5
CPI excluding Mortgage Interest and Local Property Tax96.748 103.6107.0 0.2 1.0 1.6
CPI excluding Energy Products92.509 102.9105.0 0.2 0.8 0.7
CPI excluding Energy and Unprocessed Food85.533 103.4106.0 0.1 0.8 0.9
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 - June 2021
COICOP Division  Consumer Price Index (CPI) Percentage changes
Weights         
2021 Dec. 2016=100Dec. 2011=100 1 month 3 months 12 months
01Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages13.979 95.389.8 0.1 0.3 -0.3
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco6.141 112.2128.1 -0.4 0.5 1.6
03Clothing and Footwear4.198 88.275.7 0.2 1.3 -0.1
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels16.189 113.3113.6 0.0 1.3 4.9
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance5.820 87.074.0 -0.9 -0.8 -0.8
06Health3.340 107.1110.0 0.3 0.7 2.4
07Transport12.753 106.4101.5 1.7 3.6 3.1
08Communications3.646 87.780.1 0.0 0.0 -1.6
09Recreation and Culture6.641 101.897.7 0.2 0.8 1.1
10Education1.741 107.7130.8 0.0 0.0 0.2
11Restaurants and Hotels12.998 112.4122.8 0.2 0.8 1.7
12Miscellaneous Goods and Services12.552 98.1113.9 -0.5 0.0 0.3
 ALL ITEMS100.000 103.7104.9 0.2 1.0 1.6
 Of which:          
   Goods46.006 96.287.2 0.0 0.8 1.7
   Services53.994 109.2120.0 0.4 1.0 1.2
   Energy Products7.491 113.1104.7 0.9 3.9 12.1
   Utilities and Local Charges3.596 114.6127.6 0.0 2.7 6.8
   Alcohol8.573 107.0115.9 -0.5 -0.1 1.9
   Tobacco2.553 126.2162.1 0.6 1.4 4.6
   Mortgage Interest2.775 107.367.2 0.4 0.8 2.4
   Services excluding Mortgage Interest51.219 109.3126.2 0.4 1.0 1.2
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 - June 2021
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2021 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
01.1 Food12.4868 95.1 0.1-0.4
   01.1.1 Bread & Cereals1.9955 95.9 0.30.1
                   Rice0.0836 84.2 0.2-4.2
                   Flours & other cereals0.0425 87.2 1.3-6.1
                   Bread0.6340 103.7 1.13.2
                   Other bakery products0.6781 94.5 -0.6-0.3
                   Pizza & quiche0.1265 86.2 -0.2-1.5
                   Pasta products & couscous0.0976 94.6 -0.3-0.9
                   Breakfast cereals0.2250 93.5 1.6-2.7
                   Other cereal products0.1083 90.3 -1.4-0.7
   01.1.2 Meat3.2951 94.9 0.4-1.6
                    Beef & veal0.5272 90.5 0.3-4.2
                    Pork0.1878 98.8 1.4-2.3
                    Lamb & goat0.1611 95.9 -3.85.8
                    Poultry0.7858 92.9 -0.2-1.8
                    Edible offal0.0061 100.5 0.00.0
                    Dried, salted or smoked meat0.5924 99.0 1.5-1.5
                    Other meat preparations1.0347 95.0 0.6-1.1
   01.1.3 Fish0.4921 92.7 -1.0-1.1
                   Fresh or chilled fish 0.2416 91.5 -0.70.4
                   Frozen fish0.0306 82.0 0.1-9.5
                   Fresh or chilled seafood 0.0274 97.0 -0.2-1.4
                   Dried, smoked or salted fish & seafood0.0464 103.1 -1.00.1
                   Other preserved or processed fish & seafood-based preparations0.1461 92.5 -2.2-2.3
   01.1.4 Milk, cheese & eggs1.4588 96.1 -0.1-0.2
                   Fresh whole milk0.3204 100.0 0.00.1
                   Fresh low fat milk0.1893 99.6 0.3-0.1
                   Yoghurt0.3015 103.2 -0.80.3
                   Cheese & curd 0.3278 84.8 -0.9-0.1
                   Other milk products0.1328 95.3 1.2-0.3
                   Eggs0.1870 95.6 1.0-1.4
   01.1.5 Oils & fats0.3626 103.6 0.6-0.9
                   Butter0.1828 111.8 -0.1-1.1
                   Margarine & other vegetable fats0.0837 98.4 2.80.5
                   Olive oil0.0361 89.7 -1.5-1.9
                   Other edible oils0.0600 94.4 0.5-1.6
   01.1.6 Fruit1.1235 98.2 0.20.4
                   Fresh or chilled fruit0.9184 98.8 0.30.7
                   Dried fruit & nuts0.1797 94.7 0.0-0.9
                   Preserved fruit & fruit-based products0.0254 101.9 -0.20.0
   01.1.7 Vegetables2.0651 94.4 -0.60.1
                   Fresh or chilled vegetables other than potatoes & other tubers0.8857 93.3 -1.5-0.5
                   Frozen vegetables other than potatoes & other tubers0.0544 87.1 -1.6-0.3
                   Dried vegetables, other preserved or processed vegetables0.3954 86.6 -0.3-0.6
                   Potatoes0.4595 101.7 0.20.5
                   Crisps0.2468 98.4 0.62.9
   01.1.8 Sugar, jam, honey, chocolate & confectionery0.9677 88.7 1.0-0.1
                   Sugar0.0425 92.2 0.23.2
                   Jams, marmalades & honey0.0989 82.8 0.2-1.0
                   Chocolate0.4629 90.8 1.30.0
                   Confectionery products0.1821 90.1 0.11.9
                   Edible ices & ice cream0.1539 82.7 1.5-3.6
                   Artificial sugar substitutes0.0273 90.3 2.6-2.7
   01.1.9 Food products n.e.c. 0.7265 95.3 -0.4-0.5
                   Sauces & condiments0.3235 91.5 -0.7-2.2
                   Salt, spices & culinary herbs0.0679 95.7 0.20.2
                   Baby food0.0483 103.0 -0.43.5
                   Ready-made meals0.1322 100.2 0.41.5
                   Other food products n.e.c.0.1546 96.6 -0.9-0.3
01.2 Non-alcoholic beverages1.4926 97.6 0.60.8
   01.2.1 Coffee, tea & cocoa0.3820 91.2 -0.4-0.7
                   Coffee0.1985 91.2 0.01.2
                   Tea0.1669 92.0 -0.9-2.3
                   Cocoa & powdered chocolate0.0166 82.0 -1.9-6.6
   01.2.2 Mineral waters, soft drinks, fruit & vegetable juices1.1106 99.7 0.91.4
                   Mineral or spring waters0.2661 94.9 3.6-0.4
                   Soft drinks0.4468 108.3 0.13.7
                   Fruit & vegetable juices0.3977 93.5 0.00.1
Total 13.9794 95.3 0.1-0.3
Table 5 COICOP Division 02 Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco - June 2021
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2021 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
02.1 Alcoholic Beverages3.5885 98.5 -1.1-0.9
   02.1.1 Spirits0.6866 114.5 0.2-1.5
   02.1.2 Wine1.8152 90.5 -2.11.0
   02.1.3 Beer1.0867 102.2 -0.3-3.7
02.2 Tobacco2.5527 126.2 0.64.6
                   Cigarettes2.2512 125.5 0.64.4
                   Other tobacco products0.3015 131.6 1.35.4
Total6.1412 112.2 -0.41.6
Table 6 COICOP Division 03 Clothing and Footwear - June 2021
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2021 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
03.1 Clothing3.4163 90.2 0.20.3
   03.1.2 Garments3.1496 90.1 0.20.4
   03.1.3 Other articles of clothing & clothing accessories0.1836 86.1 -0.2-1.5
   03.1.4 Cleaning, repair & hire of clothing0.0831 105.4 0.11.0
                   Dry cleaning & laundry0.0747 105.5 0.11.1
                   Dress hire & repair of clothing0.0085 104.2 0.00.0
03.2 Footwear0.7819 79.5 0.3-1.6
   03.2.1 Shoes & other footwear0.7767 79.4 0.4-1.6
   03.2.2 Repair & hire of footwear0.0052 101.3 0.00.4
Total4.1982 88.2 0.2-0.1
Table 7 COICOP Division 04 Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels - June 2021
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2021 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
04.1/04.2 Actual rentals for housing & mortgage interest10.7067 113.9 -0.32.1
   04.1.1 Actual rentals paid by tenants (Rents)7.9313 117.0 -0.52.1
                   Private Rents6.8577 117.2 0.13.0
                   Local Authority Rents1.0736 114.9 -4.4-4.2
   04.2.1 Mortgage Interest 2.7754 107.3 0.42.4
04.3 Maintenance & repair of the dwelling0.9783 112.7 2.13.7
   04.3.1 Materials for the maintenance & repair of the dwelling0.3862 109.9 3.74.8
   04.3.2 Services for the maintenance & repair of the dwelling0.5920 114.2 1.02.9
04.4 Water supply & miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling 0.3292 105.2 0.81.2
04.5 Electricity, gas & other fuels4.1751 113.0 0.412.9
   04.5.1 Electricity2.2946 119.8 0.09.6
   04.5.2 Gas0.8678 109.2 0.03.4
                   Natural gas0.8092 109.1 0.03.2
                   Bottled gas0.0586 109.8 0.16.3
   04.5.3 Liquid fuels (Home Heating Oil)0.6895 107.1 1.541.3
   04.5.4 Solid fuels0.3233 107.8 0.34.1
Total16.1892 113.3 0.04.9
Table 8 COICOP Division 05 Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance - June 2021
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2021 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
05.1 Furniture & furnishings, carpets & other floor coverings1.4561 82.6 0.70.5
   05.1.1 Furniture & furnishings1.3741 82.3 0.90.9
   05.1.2 Carpets & other floor coverings0.0820 93.8 -0.1-3.9
05.2 Household textiles0.4634 67.5 -0.3-4.1
05.3 Household appliances0.6420 94.5 1.06.1
   05.3.1 Major household appliances whether electric or not0.4878 97.5 1.48.5
   05.3.2 Small electric household appliances0.1134 78.9 -0.9-2.2
   05.3.3 Repair of household appliances0.0408 102.2 0.00.0
05.4 Glassware, tableware & household utensils0.2128 79.4 -0.40.5
05.5 Tools & equipment for house & garden0.2486 91.5 1.4-1.5
   05.5.1 Major tools & equipment0.0877 88.0 -0.5-0.9
   05.5.2 Small tools & miscellaneous accessories0.1609 93.6 2.4-1.9
05.6 Goods & services for routine household maintenance2.7976 93.7 -2.4-2.6
   05.6.1 Non-durable household goods1.1853 70.7 -5.7-7.8
   05.6.2 Domestic services & household services1.6123 117.5 0.21.1
Total5.8205 87.0 -0.9-0.8
Table 9 COICOP Division 06 Health - June 2021
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2021 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
06.1 Medical products, appliances & equipment1.1704 97.5 0.7-0.3
   06.1.1 Pharmaceutical products0.9448 96.6 0.8-0.3
                   Prescribed drugs0.5921 89.6 0.0-4.1
                   Other medicines0.3527 109.2 2.25.9
   06.1.2 Other medical products0.0270 97.7 0.2-0.9
   06.1.3 Therapeutic appliances & equipment0.1986 102.2 -0.1-0.2
06.2 Out-patient services1.9230 112.2 0.13.1
   06.2.1/3 Medical & paramedical services1.2881 112.0 0.02.4
                   Doctors' fees1.1143 111.9 0.01.9
                   Other medical & paramedical services0.1738 112.6 0.15.4
   06.2.2 Dental services0.6349 112.5 0.04.6
06.3 Hospital services0.2468 107.3 0.07.0
Total3.3402 107.1 0.32.4
Table 10 COICOP Division 07 Transport - June 2021
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2021 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
07.1 Purchase of vehicles5.3817 106.3 0.85.0
   07.1.1 Motor cars5.2594 106.4 0.85.0
   07.1.2 Motor cycles0.0273 104.2 -0.10.5
   07.1.3 Bicycles0.0951 100.3 0.05.0
07.2 Operation of personal transport equipment6.2243 111.1 1.68.6
   07.2.1 Spare parts & accessories for personal transport equipment0.4167 106.7 0.02.1
   07.2.2 Fuels & lubricants for personal transport equipment3.3163 113.8 1.511.9
                   Petrol1.6976 113.5 1.211.5
                   Diesel1.6139 114.0 1.912.2
                   Motor oil0.0047 107.8 0.44.6
   07.2.3 Maintenance & repair of personal transport equipment0.7583 105.7 0.02.5
   07.2.4 Other services in respect of personal transport equipment1.7331 108.6 3.16.5
                   Motor tax0.7368 100.3 0.00.3
                   Other vehicle costs0.9962 115.0 5.411.1
07.3 Transport services1.1473 89.1 7.7-17.5
   07.3.1 Passenger transport by railway0.1798 103.6 0.00.0
   07.3.2 Passenger transport by road0.3996 103.3 0.0-0.1
                   Bus fares0.2838 103.1 0.0-0.2
                   Taxi fares0.1158 103.7 0.00.0
   07.3.3 Passenger transport by air0.5043 78.7 20.0-29.2
   07.3.4 Passenger transport by sea & inland waterway0.0152 126.4 7.88.4
   07.3.5 Combined passenger transport0.0187 99.7 0.00.0
   07.3.6 Other purchased transport services0.0296 116.2 0.07.3
Total12.7534 106.4 1.73.1
Table 11 COICOP Division 08 Communications - June 2021
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2021 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
08.1 Postal services0.1370 130.8 5.14.4
08.2/3.0 Telephone & telefax equipment and telephone & telefax services3.5091 85.9 -0.2-1.9
Total3.6461 87.7 0.0-1.6
Table 12 COICOP Division 09 Recreation and Culture - June 2021
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2021 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
09.1 Audio-visual, photographic & information processing equipment0.2137 68.2 0.3-5.3
   09.1.1 Equipment for the reception, recording & reproduction of sound & pictures 0.0578 62.9 1.0-0.6
   09.1.2 Photographic & cinematographic equipment & optical instruments0.0120 76.4 -0.1-4.0
   09.1.3 Information processing equipment0.1126 48.7 0.6-11.8
   09.1.4 Recording media0.0274 95.6 -1.50.7
   09.1.5 Repair of audio-visual, photographic & information processing equipment0.0039 98.6 0.00.3
09.2 Other major durables for recreation & culture0.0221 98.7 0.03.8
09.3 Other recreational items & equipment, gardens & pets1.4740 84.9 -0.2-1.5
   09.3.1 Games, toys & hobbies0.4180 76.9 -0.4-1.2
   09.3.2 Equipment for sport, camping & open-air recreation0.1714 71.5 0.0-0.3
   09.3.3 Gardens, plants & flowers0.3937 85.1 0.0-5.0
   09.3.4/5 Pets & related products including veterinary & other services for pets0.4908 100.9 -0.10.8
09.4 Recreational & cultural services3.4456 107.1 0.20.8
   09.4.1 Recreational & sporting services1.8765 115.9 1.02.4
                   Sports admittance10.1232 116.2 0.00.0
                   Sports participation0.9784 119.5 0.32.4
                   Club & society subscriptions0.7554 111.2 2.12.9
   09.4.2 Cultural services1.5692 100.5 -0.6-0.9
                   Cinema0.0881 93.1 -11.0-13.7
                   Nightclubs10.0016 104.2 0.00.0
                   Cultural admittance10.1316 95.7 0.0-2.4
                   Television services1.2919 100.6 0.00.1
                   Other entertainment0.0560 110.3 0.11.5
09.5 Newspapers, books & stationery0.9518 106.3 0.40.3
   09.5.1 Books0.2271 106.3 2.20.2
   09.5.2 Newspapers & periodicals0.3958 117.2 0.32.3
   09.5.3/4 Miscellaneous printed matter and stationery & drawing materials0.3290 93.6 -0.4-1.9
09.6 Package holidays10.5338 112.9 0.45.9
Total6.6411 101.8 0.21.1
1Imputation methods used for over 50% as consumption had ceased in June 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 - June 2021
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2021 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
10.1 Pre-primary & primary education0.1103 101.7 0.00.1
10.2 Secondary education0.2414 106.2 0.0-0.2
10.4 Tertiary education1.2380 109.2 0.00.3
10.5 Education not definable by level0.1514 103.1 0.00.3
Total1.7411 107.7 0.00.2
Table 14 COICOP Division 11 Restaurants and Hotels - June 2021
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2021 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
11.1 Catering services11.7200 111.3 -0.52.6
   11.1.1 Restaurants, cafes & the like11.3691 111.5 -0.62.5
                  Licenced premises5.6376 109.3 -0.21.6
                      Spirits0.3520 111.7 0.92.9
                      Wine1.4609 107.4 -0.50.3
                      Beer3.1718 109.9 0.22.4
                      Soft drinks & mineral water0.6529 109.3 -1.40.2
                  Restaurants, cafes, fast food & take-away food5.7315 114.0 -1.03.5
   11.1.2 Canteens10.3510 106.7 -0.62.6
11.2 Accommodation services1.2780 124.9 7.2-0.1
Total12.9981 112.4 0.21.7
1Imputation methods used for over 50% as consumption had ceased in June 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 - June 2021
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2021 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
12.1 Personal care3.2955 95.4 -1.50.6
   12.1.1 Hairdressing salons & personal grooming establishments1.0766 115.4 0.17.1
                     Hairdressing0.8064 119.5 0.18.6
                     Health & beauty treatments0.2702 103.7 0.02.2
   12.1.2 Electric appliances for personal care0.0465 75.9 -4.6-7.0
   12.1.3 Other appliances, articles & products for personal care2.1724 85.4 -2.3-3.4
                     Hygiene products0.5501 88.3 -3.0-3.5
                     Hair products0.2640 85.5 -4.5-6.6
                     Cosmetics & skincare products0.8459 85.1 -1.7-3.1
                     Toilet accessories0.5124 82.5 -1.6-2.1
12.3 Personal effects n.e.c.0.8045 68.2 -6.4-11.9
   12.3.1 Jewellery, clocks & watches0.4673 74.9 -10.6-14.5
   12.3.2 Other personal effects0.3372 62.0 -0.5-8.3
12.4 Social protection1.3358 107.7 0.00.4
                     Childcare1.1745 107.3 0.00.2
                     Other social protection0.1614 111.1 0.01.9
12.5 Insurance5.3597 100.3 0.61.4
   12.5.2 Insurance connected with the dwelling0.3336 109.6 -0.51.1
   12.5.3 Insurance connected with health3.7165 112.1 1.14.0
   12.5.4 Insurance connected with transport1.3097 70.8 -0.3-5.7
                  Motor insurance1.2717 69.8 -0.3-6.1
                     Motor cycle insurance0.0084 77.9 0.0-0.3
                     Motor car insurance1.2633 69.7 -0.3-6.2
                  Travel insurance0.0379 111.1 0.07.2
12.6 Financial services n.e.c.0.4558 99.9 -0.1-0.2
12.7 Other services n.e.c.1.3003 106.6 0.11.6
Total12.5516 98.1 -0.50.3
Table 16 Consumer Price Index Goods and Services by COICOP Division - June 2021
COICOP DivisionWeights 2021 Index       Percentage changes
    Dec. 2016=100    
          
OverallGoodsServices GoodsServices GoodsServicesOverall
       12 months12 months12 months
01Food and Non Alcoholic Beverages13.97913.979- 95.3- -0.3--0.3
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco6.1416.141- 112.2- 1.6-1.6
03Clothing and Footwear4.1984.1100.088 87.9105.2 -0.11.0-0.1
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels 16.1891.45814.732 108.6114.3 21.13.34.9
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance5.8204.1571.664 79.3116.8 -1.51.0-0.8
06Health3.3401.1702.170 97.5111.6 -0.33.42.4
07Transport12.7539.1153.639 109.898.8 7.5-6.23.1
08Communications3.6460.3413.305 45.497.0 -8.8-0.9-1.6
09Recreation and Culture6.6412.5124.129 88.9108.5 -1.22.01.1
10Education1.741-1.741 -107.7 -0.20.2
11Restaurants and Hotels12.998-12.998 -112.4 -1.71.7
12Miscellaneous Goods & Services12.5523.0249.528 80.4103.8 -5.72.10.3
ALL ITEMS100.00046.00653.994 96.2109.2 1.71.21.6
Table 17 Contributions to the change in the All Items CPI - June 2021
COICOP DivisionPercentage contributions
1 month 3 months 12 months
01Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages0.02 0.05 -0.01
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco-0.03 0.03 0.14
03Clothing and Footwear0.01 0.05 0.00
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels0.01 0.22 0.74
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance-0.05 -0.04 -0.04
06Health0.01 0.02 0.08
07Transport0.23 0.46 0.37
08Communications0.00 0.00 -0.05
09Recreation and Culture0.01 0.05 0.07
10Education0.00 0.00 0.00
11Restaurants and Hotels0.03 0.11 0.19
12Miscellaneous Goods and Services-0.07 0.00 0.03
 All Items % change0.2 1.0 1.6 
 Goods-0.03 0.40 0.86
 Services0.20 0.56 0.67
 Energy Products0.07 0.31 0.89
 Tobacco0.02 0.04 0.11
 Mortgage Interest0.01 0.02 0.06
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
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
        
2021January101.0101.2 0.2-0.1-0.6
 February101.3101.1 0.3-0.4-0.7
 March102.2101.2 0.90.1-0.7
 April102.8101.2 0.61.1-0.6
 May103.0101.4 0.21.9-0.4
 June103.1101.5 0.11.6-0.2
Table 19 EU Harmonised Consumer Price COICOP Division Indices - June 2021 Ireland
COICOP DivisionHICP Percentage changes Percentage contributions
Year 2015=100 1 month 12 months 1 month 12 months
01Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages92.5 0.1 -0.3 0.02 -0.01
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco113.1 -0.4 1.6 -0.03 0.15
03Clothing and Footwear86.1 0.2 -0.1 0.01 0.00
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels117.7 -0.2 5.6 -0.02 0.69
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance82.7 -0.8 -0.7 -0.05 -0.04
06Health108.1 0.1 4.4 0.01 0.28
07Transport102.7 1.7 3.1 0.22 0.36
08Communications85.7 0.0 -1.6 0.00 -0.05
09Recreation and Culture99.3 0.3 1.1 0.02 0.07
10Education112.7 0.0 0.2 0.00 0.00
11Restaurants and Hotels114.4 0.2 1.7 0.03 0.20
12Miscellaneous Goods and Services94.9 -1.4 -0.6 -0.10 -0.05
All Items HICP103.1 0.1 1.6 0.1 1.6 
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 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

upArrowHide Background Notes

Scan the QR code below to view this release online or go to
http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/cpi/consumerpriceindexjune2021/