Thuringia: Inflation rate in Thuringia remains high: vegetables are expensive

Erfurt (dpa/th) - Consumer prices in Thuringia were also at a high level in February.

Thuringia: Inflation rate in Thuringia remains high: vegetables are expensive

Erfurt (dpa/th) - Consumer prices in Thuringia were also at a high level in February. The inflation rate was 8.5 percent after 8.4 percent in January, as announced by the State Statistical Office in Erfurt on Monday. The state office’s test buyers found the largest increase in food prices compared to February 2022, followed by energy prices.

Consumers had to pay almost a quarter (23.1 percent) more for groceries and non-alcoholic beverages than a year ago. Energy prices were 15.2 percent above the previous year's level.

The statisticians determined above-average price increases of 45.7 percent for district heating, which supplies many rental apartments, for solid fuels at 37.8 percent and for heating oil at 35.5 percent. By contrast, electricity prices rose by only 20.2 percent compared to February 2022, and gas prices including operating costs by 19.6 percent. The lowest increase in the energy sector was in fuel prices at 3.7 percent.

Consumers also had to dig deeper into their pockets to visit restaurants or stay in hotels - prices here rose by an average of 11.7 percent. An average of 7.6 percent more had to be paid for leisure activities, entertainment and culture.

Compared to January, the statisticians determined a price increase of 2.9 percent for food and non-alcoholic beverages - mainly influenced by high prices for vegetables, which were 15.9 percent higher. In the case of edible fats and oil, better availability caused prices to fall by 9.4 percent. The much-advertised butter in particular became cheaper - by an average of 18.6 percent.