March consumer price index up 2.8 percent on year
According to information released by Statistics Estonia on Friday morning, the consumer price index (CPI) in March 2018 remained unchanged compared to the previous month but increased 2.8 percent on year.
On year, goods were 3.1 percent and services 2.3 percent more expensive last month, while regulated prices of goods and services 0.5 percent and non-regulated prices by 1.5 percent compared to March of the previous year.
Compared to March 2017, the CPI was affected the most by food and non‑alcoholic beverages, whose prices saw an increase of 3.9 pecent, contributing approximately one third of the total increase of the index. Of the latter, half was contributed by seven percen more expensive milk, dairy products and eggs as well as by 11 percent more expensive fruit.
Both housing and alcoholic beverages and tobacco accounted for over a quarter of the total increase of the index. Electricity that reached homes was 10.9 percent and rent 8.5 percent more expensive compared to the same month last year. Compared to last March, alcoholic beverages became 13.2 percent and tobacco six percent more expensive.
Motor fuel contributed an eighth of the total increase. Gasoline was seven percent and diesel fuel 5.1 percent more expensive than in March 2017. Of food products and beverages, the biggest price increases on year were seen for eggs (42 percent), frozen fruit and berries (31 percent) and beer (29 percent).
Compared to this February figures, the CPI in March was affected the most by transport. Plane tickets purchased for March were 7.9 percent cheaper than the ones bought for February, while motor fuel prices decreased 1.1 percent. A greater impact on the monthly change was also the result of 1.7 percent more expensive electricity that reached homes, 1.9 percent higher rent and 1.4 percent more expensive alcoholic beverages.
Editor: Aili Vahtla