Consumer prices: Price fluctuations cost households in total billions

Heavily fluctuating prices for necessary things of daily needs are causing significant additional costs for Germany’s consumers year for year. In total, there were 73.2 billion euros last year, as Barclays calculated: 1,754 euros per budget.

This is significantly less than in 2022 (5,000 euros per budget) and 2023 (2,268), in which the sudden increase in inflation was noticeable due to the Russian attack on Ukraine. Nevertheless, the burdens due to price fluctuations were said to have been average of 1,443 euros last year over the average of 2015 to 2021.

The analysis is based on data from the Federal Statistical Office for around 700 products and services that form the consumer price index. With the help of the monthly price fluctuations of all individual products and the actual consumption spending, Barclays determines the costs that consumers bear through fluctuating prices a year.

Save money with clever timing

Food, energy, mobility – for many products, consumers have to accept rising prices because they can hardly affect the time of purchase.

The situation is different for consumer goods: According to the analysis, fashion, for example, was 9.5 percent cheaper in the cheapest month than in the expensive month of 2024. The difference was 5 percent for electrical items, with household and garden articles it was 4.9 percent. The prices for cars and car accessories fluctuated by 3.6 percent.

Based on its analyzes created since 2015, the bank comes to the realization that consumers have the chance of bargains in the event of clothing, cars and purchases for household and garden, especially in January and February. The prices for these products in October/November (fashion) or in December (household/car) are comparatively high.

Inflation stays with a two percent mark

In the year 2024, the prices for goods and services in Germany rose by 2.2 percent in the previous year according to calculations by the Federal Statistical Office.

In 2023, the inflation rate was 5.9 percent and in 2022 at 6.9 percent. In the course of the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine in February 2022, energy prices were in particular shot up. In 2021, the inflation rate was also significantly higher with an average of 3.1 percent.

For February 2025, the Federal Office has calculated an inflation rate of 2.3 percent based on preliminary data. The Wiesbaden statisticians will publish details of the inflation in February this Friday. Higher inflation rates reduce people’s purchasing power because they can then afford less for one euro.