Germany food, alcohol and tobacco price index (HICP)
Germany food, alcohol and tobacco price index (HICP) stood at 100 in 2025, according to Deutsche Bundesbank. It is one of the indicators in the Price indices (annual) table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 1997 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Price indices (annual) table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall index | 100 | 97.79 | 95.41 | 89.99 | 82.81 | 80.24 | 79.95 | 78.86 | 77.38 | 76.07 | |
| Food incl. alcohol and tobacco | 100 | 97.39 | 94.77 | 84.85 | 76.74 | 74.53 | 72.84 | 71.72 | 69.93 | 68.08 | |
| Industrial goods excluding energy | 100 | 99.05 | 97.65 | 92.42 | 87.45 | 85.31 | 85.39 | 84.45 | 83.77 | 82.76 |
Understanding germany food, alcohol and tobacco price index (HICP)
Aggregates the retail prices paid by consumers for all groceries, beverages, and smoking products within the harmonised framework. This component isolates household spending on sustenance and stimulants, distinct from broader goods or services categories. The calculation strips out non-consumable items and energy costs to isolate the pricing dynamics of everyday provisions purchased at supermarkets, specialist shops, and off-licences. It measures the pure price level rather than a rate of change, treating the basket of specific food and beverage items as a distinct sub-aggregate of the overall consumption profile.
Analysts use this index level to trace long-term pricing trajectories for household provisions rather than short-term price shocks. Because agricultural cycles and seasonal harvests influence food costs, the raw index values exhibit recurring annual patterns. Changes to the underlying basket weights or the introduction of the new 2025=100 base period can shift the numerical level, meaning raw point comparisons across reweighting years require structural adjustments. Comparing this level directly against industrial producer prices can be misleading, as retail indices incorporate distribution margins, consumer taxes, and retail markups absent from factory-gate metrics.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this index include meals eaten at restaurants?
- No, catering services and restaurant meals fall under the services component rather than this retail provisions category.
- How does the harmonised methodology affect the basket?
- The harmonised rules ensure the basket weights reflect total household expenditure within the national borders, facilitating direct comparisons with other member states.
- Why might this index diverge from agricultural producer prices?
- Retail prices incorporate processing, packaging, transport, and retail overheads, which can buffer or amplify raw commodity cost movements.