In April 2008 as compared with March prices of consumer goods and services grew by 1.2 per cent!

Statistics Lithuania informs that in April 2008 as compared with March prices of consumer goods and services grew by 1.2 per cent.

In April 2008, the most decisive impact on the total change in consumer prices was made by a 1.5 per cent increase in prices of food products and non-alcoholic beverages, 1.8 per cent – for the transport group of goods and services, 2.6 per cent – alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, 2.3 per cent – clothing and footwear, as well as by a 2.3 per cent price drop for the communication group of goods and services.

Prices of consumer goods in April 2008 as compared with March rose by 1.3, those of services – by 1.1 per cent.

The largest influence on the change in prices of food products and non-alcoholic beverages was made by a 7.1 per cent price rise for vegetables and potatoes, 2.3 per cent – bread and cereal products, 0.8 per cent – meat and meat products, 5.6 per cent – coffee, tea, cocoa, 2.3 per cent – fruits and berries, as well as by a 1.2 per cent price drop for milk and milk products, cheese, eggs.

Changes in prices for the group of transport goods and services were mainly influenced by a 2.5 per cent price rise for petrol, 4.2 per cent – local passenger road transport services, 2.3 per cent – diesel fuel, 8.7 per cent – passenger air transport services, 1.5 per cent – personal transport equipment technical maintenance and repair services, 5.2 per cent – services of driver’s schools.

The price rise for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products was conditioned by a 7.7 per cent price rise for cigarettes, 0.5 per cent – spirits, 1.0 per cent – wine and wine products.

In the clothing and footwear group of products, due to the appearance of new summer collections, a 4.0 per cent price rise was recorded for footwear, and 1.5 per cent – for clothing. Cleaning, repair and hire of clothing went up in price by 3.4, footwear repair services – by 2.0 per cent.

In the communication group of goods and services, the change in prices was determined by a 3.5 per cent price drop for mobile phone communication services, and 1.9 per cent – for telephone equipment.

Regarding other goods and services, which determined the general change in consumer prices in April 2008, the following could be mentioned: a 2.1 per cent price rise for catering services, 1.2 per cent – pharmaceuticals, 4.4 per cent – cleaning and maintenance products, 3.1 per cent – housing rentals, 2.5 per cent – solid fuel, as well as by a 1.5 per cent price drop for materials for the maintenance and repair of the dwelling, 1.0 per cent – personal hygiene products, 0.9 per cent – video equipment, 0.6 per cent – data processing equipment.

In April 2008, annual inflation (April 2008 against April 2007) made up 11.7 per cent. The annual inflation rate was mostly influenced by a 17.5 per cent price rise for food products and non-alcoholic beverages, 18.3 per cent – housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, 13.9 per cent – transport group of goods and services, as well as by a 3.1 per cent price drop for clothing and footwear.

Consumer goods showed an annual increase of 11.4, while services – of 12.7 per cent.

In April 2008, average annual inflation made up 7.9 per cent.

Source: Department of Statistics to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania

BusinessmanTime.com / BTNews - Lithuania