Sales prices in German wholesale goods increased by 4.1 percent in March 2026 compared to March 2025, according to data released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Tuesday. While the year-on-year change rate for the preceding months-from December 2025 through February 2026-was consistently at +1.2 percent, the most significant year-on-year jump before this occurred in February 2023, when prices rose by +9.5 percent compared to February 2022. The sharp price increase recorded in March 2026 was primarily attributed to military actions in Iran and the Middle East, which consequently drove up wholesale prices for energy products and raw materials. Comparing to February 2026 alone, wholesale prices rose by 2.7 percent in March.
The main driver behind the overall increase in wholesale prices year-on-year for March 2026 was the surge in mineral oil products, whose average price was 17.8 percent higher than in March 2025. These products also saw a substantial increase of 18.8 percent compared to the previous month, February 2026.
Other notable movements compared to the previous year included the rise in wholesale prices for non-ferrous ores, metals, and semi-finished metal products, which jumped by 48.4 percent compared to March 2025. Furthermore, prices for sugar, confectioneries, and baked goods rose by 6.1 percent, and those for tobacco products increased by 5.9 percent year-over-year.
Conversely, wholesale prices for coffee, tea, cocoa, and spices declined by 8.9 percent compared to March 2025. Similarly cheaper than the previous year were prices for dairy products, eggs, cooking oils, and animal fats, which dropped by 8.3 percent.
More favorable year-on-year comparisons were also seen in wheat and grain products, which fell by 5.8 percent, and in cereals, raw tobacco, seeds, and animal feed, which decreased by 3.4 percent.
