What are the discrepancies between the research results of 31 October 2022 and 2 March 2023?

On 31 October 2022, CBS published the initial research findings for the period up to August 2022 inclusive and based on the new source data. This involved a comparison between the outcomes according to different calculation methods. The initial findings were still surrounded by a high degree of uncertainty as to the availability and usability of the data from energy suppliers. As a result, the figures from the different methods studied still had a wide range of possible outcomes.

On 2 March 2023, CBS published an update of the research series, with findings covering the period up to December 2022 inclusive. In the meantime, a choice has been made for the most appropriate price index method and there is more certainty about the data. As a result, the bandwidth in which the outcomes of the new method move is considerably smaller and is related to the data from energy suppliers that have not been processed yet.

The inflation rates according to the research series as presented on 2 March 2023 turn out to be low within the range of possible outcomes of 31 October 2022. In some months, the rates even fall below the bandwidth of 31 October 2022. The latter is caused by the fact that some taxes and tax credits taking effect on 1 January 2022 were not yet correctly processed in the research series. The lower rates are particularly evident from the price development of electricity.