Changes in consumer price index (CPI) reflect the state of our economy

12/02/2026 06:30

The consumer price index (CPI) measures the average change in prices of goods and services purchased by households in the Netherlands. It shows us whether the price of a particular product or service has increased or decreased over time. Importantly, the range of goods and services included in the CPI also changes – it evolves to reflect changes in consumer behaviour and the availability of new products. Ten years ago, for example, cloud and streaming services were far less common. Today, they are widespread and so have been added to the CPI. In order to ensure that the CPI remains an accurate and relevant measure of inflation, the methodology for calculating it has also been updated accordingly.

Statistics Netherlands (CBS) has introduced a new classification system and changed the base year for the CPI from 2015 to 2025. This means that the CPI now reflects price changes relative to the average in 2025. The CPI figures about January 2026 are the first to use 2025 as the base year. Previously published figures on inflation will remain unchanged.

Inflation as an economic indicator

Inflation is a key indicator that reflects the average annual change in prices of goods and services consumed by Dutch households. It is measured using the CPI. When goods and services become more expensive, consumers have less purchasing power with the same income, which can affect economic activity overall.

Most viewed statistic

The monthly CPI figure is the statistic that is viewed the most often in StatLine, and over 25 percent of the questions received by CBS relate to it. The most frequently asked question is: What was the average change in prices over the past month?

The changes in how the statistic is calculated reflect changes in consumer behaviour in the Netherlands. Cees van der Vlis, statistical researcher in consumer prices at Statistics Netherlands, explains: ‘In the old classification, “fax services” were still listed under communication. These services are no longer relevant today, but other new services have emerged, such as cloud services. These were not previously included. Another change is the rise of delivery services for online purchases. In the 2015 classification, the delivery fee for a coffee table was included under “furniture”. Now, there is a separate group for delivery services. The updated classification ensures that the CPI reflects what people are currently spending their money on.’

New base year: 2025

The base year for the CPI has also changed: 2015 = 100 has been replaced by 2025 = 100. Van der Vlis: ‘If the index figure for coffee was 102 in January 2026, for example, it means that the price of coffee in that month was two per cent higher than the average price for coffee in 2025.’ Hugo de Bondt, another statistical researcher specialising in consumer prices, adds: ‘Previously published inflation figures will not be changed, but CBS has recalculated the series from 2010 onwards, using 2025 as the base year. This ensures that price changes can still be compared over time.’

Better alignment with European standards

In addition to the CPI, Statistics Netherlands also publishes the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) every month. This is used by Eurostat to compare inflation across Europe. To ensure consistency, Statistics Netherlands has reduced the differences between the CPI and the HICP.
‘The more closely these methods are aligned, the lower the risk of errors,’ explains Hugo de Bondt. ‘This helps to make the process more robust.’

Commonly used in policy and economic forecasts

The CPI is not only widely consulted by the public, but also plays a crucial role in economic policy and forecasting. The Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB) and De Nederlandsche Bank (the national bank of the Netherlands) use CPI data in their inflation forecasts. These institutions – and others – were therefore closely involved as we developed the new approach.

Koen Link, project leader for consumer prices at Statistics Netherlands explains: ‘We have adjusted the base year for both the CPI and HICP, but the inflation figures remain comparable. Previously published figures will remain unchanged. We have also recalculated the CPI for the period 2010-2025 using 2025 as the base year. This means that users can still compare price changes over time, and the continuous series also makes it possible to analyse and predict future trends in inflation.’

Personal inflation calculator

Along with the CPI for January 2026, Statistics Netherlands has also updated its personal inflation calculator. Van der Vlis explains: ‘The personal inflation calculator is a useful tool for people who want to see how inflation affects them personally, based on their specific spending patterns.’ A link to the personal inflation calculator can be found in the ‘relevant links’ section, below this article.

Calculating rent increases

‘The rent increase calculator has also been updated to reflect the new base year. Many tenancy agreements refer to a specific base year, and by adjusting this in the tool, tenants no longer need to calculate rent increases using the old reference point.

Key facts about the update

The transition to the new classification began in 2021. Since then, large amounts of detailed data, on supermarket sales for instance, have been reclassified according to the new structure. The aim is to ensure that the CPI continues to provide an accurate reflection of the actual price changes experienced by Dutch households.