Inflation rate rose to 1.8 percent in February

04/03/2021 15:00

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Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that the consumer price index (CPI) was 1.8 percent higher in February than in the same month last year. The inflation rate stood at 1.6 percent in January.

Consumer price index (CPI)
Year	Month	Year-on-year change (year-on-year % change)
2015	January	0
2015	February	0.2
2015	March	0.4
2015	April	0.6
2015	May	1.1
2015	June	1
2015	July	1
2015	August	0.8
2015	September	0.6
2015	October	0.6
2015	November	0.7
2015	December	0.7
2016	January	0.6
2016	February	0.6
2016	March	0.6
2016	April	0
2016	May	0
2016	June	0
2016	July	-0.2
2016	August	0.2
2016	September	0.1
2016	October	0.4
2016	November	0.6
2016	December	1
2017	January	1.7
2017	February	1.8
2017	March	1.1
2017	April	1.6
2017	May	1.1
2017	June	1.1
2017	July	1.3
2017	August	1.4
2017	September	1.5
2017	October	1.3
2017	November	1.5
2017	December	1.3
2018	January	1.5
2018	February	1.2
2018	March	1
2018	April	1.1
2018	May	1.7
2018	June	1.7
2018	July	2.1
2018	August	2.1
2018	September	1.9
2018	October	2.1
2018	November	2
2018	December	2
2019	January	2.2
2019	February	2.6
2019	March	2.8
2019	April	2.9
2019	May	2.4
2019	June	2.7
2019	July	2.5
2019	August	2.8
2019	September	2.6
2019	October	2.7
2019	November	2.6
2019	December	2.7
2020	January	1.8
2020	February	1.6
2020	March	1.4
2020	April	1.2
2020	May	1.2
2020	June	1.6
2020	July	1.7
2020	August	0.7
2020	September	1.1
2020	October	1.2
2020	November	0.8
2020	December	1
2021	January	1.6
2021	February	1.8

Consumer price index (CPI)
Year	Month	Year-on-year change (year-on-year % change)
2015	January	0
2015	February	0.2
2015	March	0.4
2015	April	0.6
2015	May	1.1
2015	June	1
2015	July	1
2015	August	0.8
2015	September	0.6
2015	October	0.6
2015	November	0.7
2015	December	0.7
2016	January	0.6
2016	February	0.6
2016	March	0.6
2016	April	0
2016	May	0
2016	June	0
2016	July	-0.2
2016	August	0.2
2016	September	0.1
2016	October	0.4
2016	November	0.6
2016	December	1
2017	January	1.7
2017	February	1.8
2017	March	1.1
2017	April	1.6
2017	May	1.1
2017	June	1.1
2017	July	1.3
2017	August	1.4
2017	September	1.5
2017	October	1.3
2017	November	1.5
2017	December	1.3
2018	January	1.5
2018	February	1.2
2018	March	1
2018	April	1.1
2018	May	1.7
2018	June	1.7
2018	July	2.1
2018	August	2.1
2018	September	1.9
2018	October	2.1
2018	November	2
2018	December	2
2019	January	2.2
2019	February	2.6
2019	March	2.8
2019	April	2.9
2019	May	2.4
2019	June	2.7
2019	July	2.5
2019	August	2.8
2019	September	2.6
2019	October	2.7
2019	November	2.6
2019	December	2.7
2020	January	1.8
2020	February	1.6
2020	March	1.4
2020	April	1.2
2020	May	1.2
2020	June	1.6
2020	July	1.7
2020	August	0.7
2020	September	1.1
2020	October	1.2
2020	November	0.8
2020	December	1
2021	January	1.6
2021	February	1.8

Motor fuels push up inflation rate

The increase in inflation is mainly due to the price development of motor fuels. In February, fuel prices were 0.7 percent higher than one year previously, while motor fuels were 5.4 percent cheaper in January year-on-year. Consumers paid an average of 1.676 euros per litre for petrol and 1.354 euros for diesel in February. In January, this was 1.615 euros and 1.289 euros per litre respectively. The price developments of clothing and energy also had an upward effect on inflation.

CPI: Major contributions to year-on-year change
	February 2021 (percentage point)	January 2021 (percentage point)
All items	1.8	1.6

Housing, water and energy	0.61	0.54
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco	0.28	0.27
Miscellaneous goods and services	0.27	0.28
Restaurants and hotels	0.25	0.21
Recreation and culture	0.21	0.25
Furnishing and household equipment	0.11	0.21
Communication	0.09	0.02
Food and non-alcoholic beverages	0.04	0.05
Health	0.03	0.03
Consumption related taxes	0.03	0.03
Education	0.02	0.02
Clothing and footwear	0.01	-0.08
Transport	0.00	-0.10

CPI: Major contributions to year-on-year change
	February 2021 (percentage point)	January 2021 (percentage point)
All items	1.8	1.6

Housing, water and energy	0.61	0.54
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco	0.28	0.27
Miscellaneous goods and services	0.27	0.28
Restaurants and hotels	0.25	0.21
Recreation and culture	0.21	0.25
Furnishing and household equipment	0.11	0.21
Communication	0.09	0.02
Food and non-alcoholic beverages	0.04	0.05
Health	0.03	0.03
Consumption related taxes	0.03	0.03
Education	0.02	0.02
Clothing and footwear	0.01	-0.08
Transport	0.00	-0.10

Netherlands has highest inflation in eurozone

Aside from the consumer price index (CPI), CBS also calculates the European harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP).

In February, HICP-based prices of goods and services in the Netherlands were 1.9 percent up year-on-year. This was 1.6 percent in January. At 0.9 percent, the inflation rate in the eurozone remained the same as in January. According to provisional figures, the Netherlands had the highest inflation rate in the eurozone in February.

Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP)
year	month	The Netherlands (year-on-year % change)	Euro area (year-on-year % change)
2015	January	-0.7	-0.6
2015	February	-0.5	-0.3
2015	March	-0.3	-0.1
2015	April	0	0.2
2015	May	0.7	0.6
2015	June	0.5	0.5
2015	July	0.8	0.5
2015	August	0.4	0.4
2015	September	0.3	0.2
2015	October	0.4	0.4
2015	November	0.4	0.1
2015	December	0.5	0.3
2016	January	0.2	0.3
2016	February	0.3	-0.1
2016	March	0.5	0
2016	April	-0.2	-0.3
2016	May	-0.2	-0.1
2016	June	-0.2	0
2016	July	-0.6	0.2
2016	August	0.1	0.2
2016	September	-0.1	0.4
2016	October	0.3	0.5
2016	November	0.4	0.6
2016	December	0.7	1.1
2017	January	1.6	1.7
2017	February	1.7	2
2017	March	0.6	1.5
2017	April	1.4	1.9
2017	May	0.7	1.4
2017	June	1	1.3
2017	July	1.5	1.3
2017	August	1.5	1.5
2017	September	1.4	1.6
2017	October	1.3	1.4
2017	November	1.5	1.5
2017	December	1.2	1.3
2018	January	1.5	1.3
2018	February	1.3	1.1
2018	March	1	1.4
2018	April	1	1.2
2018	May	1.9	2
2018	June	1.7	2
2018	July	1.9	2.2
2018	August	1.9	2.1
2018	September	1.6	2.1
2018	October	1.9	2.3
2018	November	1.8	1.9
2018	December	1.8	1.5
2019	January	2	1.4
2019	February	2.6	1.5
2019	March	2.9	1.4
2019	April	3	1.7
2019	May	2.3	1.2
2019	June	2.7	1.3
2019	July	2.6	1
2019	August	3.1	1
2019	September	2.7	0.8
2019	October	2.8	0.7
2019	November	2.6	1
2019	December	2.8	1.3
2020	January	1.7	1.4
2020	February	1.3	1.2
2020	March	1.1	0.7
2020	April	1	0.3
2020	May	1.1	0.1
2020	June	1.7	0.3
2020	July	1.6	0.4
2020	August	0.3	-0.2
2020	September	1	-0.3
2020	October	1.2	-0.3
2020	November	0.7	-0.3
2020	December	0.9	-0.3
2021	January	1.6	0.9
2021	February	1.9	0.9

Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP)
year	month	The Netherlands (year-on-year % change)	Euro area (year-on-year % change)
2015	January	-0.7	-0.6
2015	February	-0.5	-0.3
2015	March	-0.3	-0.1
2015	April	0	0.2
2015	May	0.7	0.6
2015	June	0.5	0.5
2015	July	0.8	0.5
2015	August	0.4	0.4
2015	September	0.3	0.2
2015	October	0.4	0.4
2015	November	0.4	0.1
2015	December	0.5	0.3
2016	January	0.2	0.3
2016	February	0.3	-0.1
2016	March	0.5	0
2016	April	-0.2	-0.3
2016	May	-0.2	-0.1
2016	June	-0.2	0
2016	July	-0.6	0.2
2016	August	0.1	0.2
2016	September	-0.1	0.4
2016	October	0.3	0.5
2016	November	0.4	0.6
2016	December	0.7	1.1
2017	January	1.6	1.7
2017	February	1.7	2
2017	March	0.6	1.5
2017	April	1.4	1.9
2017	May	0.7	1.4
2017	June	1	1.3
2017	July	1.5	1.3
2017	August	1.5	1.5
2017	September	1.4	1.6
2017	October	1.3	1.4
2017	November	1.5	1.5
2017	December	1.2	1.3
2018	January	1.5	1.3
2018	February	1.3	1.1
2018	March	1	1.4
2018	April	1	1.2
2018	May	1.9	2
2018	June	1.7	2
2018	July	1.9	2.2
2018	August	1.9	2.1
2018	September	1.6	2.1
2018	October	1.9	2.3
2018	November	1.8	1.9
2018	December	1.8	1.5
2019	January	2	1.4
2019	February	2.6	1.5
2019	March	2.9	1.4
2019	April	3	1.7
2019	May	2.3	1.2
2019	June	2.7	1.3
2019	July	2.6	1
2019	August	3.1	1
2019	September	2.7	0.8
2019	October	2.8	0.7
2019	November	2.6	1
2019	December	2.8	1.3
2020	January	1.7	1.4
2020	February	1.3	1.2
2020	March	1.1	0.7
2020	April	1	0.3
2020	May	1.1	0.1
2020	June	1.7	0.3
2020	July	1.6	0.4
2020	August	0.3	-0.2
2020	September	1	-0.3
2020	October	1.2	-0.3
2020	November	0.7	-0.3
2020	December	0.9	-0.3
2021	January	1.6	0.9
2021	February	1.9	0.9

The HICP is compiled according to the European harmonised method in order to facilitate comparison between the various EU member states. Price indices for the eurozone and the European Union as a whole are calculated on the basis of the HICPs of the individual member states. The European Central Bank (ECB) uses these figures to formulate its monetary policy.

Unlike the CPI, the HICP does not take into account the costs related to home ownership. In the Dutch CPI, these costs are calculated on the basis of developments in rental property prices.

Implications of the coronavirus crisis for consumer price measurements in February

Due to coronavirus-related government measures, in February the extent of services by e.g. airlines and restaurants was either limited or unavailable. As a consequence, for many of these services there were no transactions that allowed for price measurements. In line with guidelines from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, CBS has chosen the most appropriate estimation method in each situation. The product groups that required price estimates due to the coronavirus measures account for around 7 percent of consumptive expenditure.

The coronavirus crisis has significantly changed consumers' spending patterns. The change in consumption pattern will affect inflation in 2021.

Sources

StatLine - Consumer prices
Custom - CPI; Overview COVID-19 adjustments, as from April 2020

Motor fuels push up inflation rate

Netherlands has highest inflation in eurozone

Implications of the coronavirus crisis for consumer price measurements in February

Sources

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