Inflation rate: consumers buy differently due to expensive foods

For the first time this year, the inflation rate in Germany has put on slightly again. This is particularly noticeable for consumers in daily purchases: coffee, chocolate, fruit-rising food prices in August drove to 2.2 percent in August and thus again through the two percent brand. Inflation may settle there again, expect economists.

The increased food prices cause many people in Germany to rethink their shopping behavior, as a YouGov survey for the German Press Agency showed. More than half (57 percent) of those surveyed at the beginning of September stated that they had changed their shopping habits because of the high prices. According to their own information, of these in turn now goes to the discounter more often instead of the supermarket.

Does the inflation set itself again over the two percent mark?

From July to August 2025, prices attracted 0.1 percent, as the Federal Statistical Office confirms. For the months of June and July, the Wiesbaden statisticians had calculated an inflation rate of 2.0 percent each. An inflation rate of around two percent is expected for the year as a whole.

Higher inflation rates reduce people’s purchasing power: they can then afford less for one euro. The large wave of inflation has expired for the time being, which Germany had hit against Ukraine after the beginning of the Russian attack war. But inflation is more stubborn than expected: the core inflation without the prices for food and energy that is prone to fluctuations has been 2.7 percent in Germany for three months.

Coffee and chocolate are more expensive

In August, people in Germany had to pay 2.5 percent more than a year earlier. In July, food prices had increased by 2.2 percent. In 2022 and 2023, food prices had climbed by 13.4 percent and 12.4 percent.

Above average, coffee (plus 22.8 percent) and chocolate (plus 21.3 percent) increased above average in August 2025. Prices for fruit (plus 7.1 percent) also attracted, while vegetables were cheaper than a year earlier (minus 1.1 percent). Consumers for potatoes (minus 17.3 percent) and sugar (minus 29.2 percent) had to pay significantly fewer.

Discount hunt and less food waste

Almost three quarters (71 percent) of those who, according to YouGov survey, now pay more attention to special offers than before. A good third buys less frequently or less.

In order to save money, 84 percent who have changed pay attention to throwing out fewer foods. For example, they try to buy more consciously and use remnants creatively. In addition, about half of those more frequently expired food if they still look good.

Even prices for services are significantly over the previous year’s level

Life in Germany was also expensive in other areas in August: Services were 3.1 percent more expensive than a year earlier. The fact that in August passenger transport (plus 11.1 percent) and insurance (plus 6.4 percent) cost more to do with higher wage costs that the providers attach to their prices. International flights, on the other hand, cost 8.2 percent less in the summer month.

Price decline in energy flies out

According to the Federal Office’s calculations, energy was 2.4 percent cheaper than a year earlier. However, energy prices had dropped more clearly in August 2024. In the year comparison, this acts like a price increase – a so -called basic effect that drives the current inflation rate up.

Consumers have more money in their pockets

After all, many employees also have more money in their pockets: According to the Federal Statistical Office, wages in the second quarter again increased more than 4.1 percent than consumer prices. This results in a increase in real wage by 1.9 percent at the same period last year. Loss of purchasing power, especially from 2022 and 2023, are increasingly balanced-even if the wage level from the pre-corona year 2019 has not yet been reached.