The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) has confirmed that the inflation rate for September 2026 was 3.3%. This marks an increase in consumer prices, following rates of 2.9% in August and 2.8% in July. According to Destatis President Ruth Brand, the inflation rate hit a new annual high in September, exceeding the three percent mark and reaching the highest value since December 2023. She attributed this rise primarily to the development of energy prices, noting that the increase in costs was particularly visible for mineral oil products at gas stations and heating oil.
Overall energy prices were significantly higher this month, increasing by 14.9% compared to September 2025. This represents the third consecutive month of increased energy costs (following rises of +10.5% in August and +8.3% in July). This spike is the highest increase in energy prices recorded since February 2023 (when they rose by 19.1% compared to February 2022). The upward trend in rough oil prices, linked to the Iran conflict, was reflected across both producer and consumer energy prices. For consumers specifically, fuel prices rose dramatically by 37.1% in September 2026 (compared to +27.7% in August 2026), while the cost of light heating oil saw an even sharper jump of 74.9% (up 49.6% in August 2026).
In other areas, fixed fuels like firewood and wood pellets also rose by 15.6% year-on-year. Conversely, prices for electricity (-5.5%), natural gas without operating costs (-2.8%), and district heating (-1.0%) remained lower than they were in the corresponding month of the previous year. Destatis noted that these declines in electricity, natural gas, and district heating are partially due to energy savings measures implemented by the federal government since the beginning of the year. However, the impact of the tax reduction for fuels, which came into effect only on October 1, 2026, had not yet filtered through the September figures.
Regarding food, prices remained below average, increasing by 0.4% year-on-year, up from 0.1% in August 2026. Nevertheless, certain food items saw substantial increases, including eggs (+15.2%), fresh vegetables (+12.0%), and fish, seafood, and shellfish (+4.5%). In contrast, cooking fats and oils became cheaper (-15.0%, with butter falling by -29.5%), alongside fresh fruit (-4.9%) and dairy products (-5.5%).
When looking at underlying inflation rates, the increase excluding energy was 2.1%, and the rate excluding heating oil and fuels was 1.8%. The core inflation rate-which excludes both food and energy-stood at 2.4% in September 2026, consistent with August and July, remaining below the overall increase.
Overall merchandise prices rose by 3.8% compared to the previous year. Consumer goods saw a 5.4% increase, largely driven by the high energy prices (+14.9%), whereas durable goods increased by only 1.0%. Among year-on-year cost increases, information processing devices (+9.2%) and tobacco products (+5.6%) were notably expensive. Conversely, coffee, tea, and cocoa prices dropped by 3.3%, and household appliances declined by 2.5%.
In the services sector, overall prices increased by 2.7% compared to last year, signifying a slight moderation compared to the overall inflation rate. Significant price jumps in services included social facility services (+6.3%), vehicle maintenance and repair (+4.7%), and hairdressing and personal care (+4.3%). Package tours (+3.8%) and water supply services for homes (+3.7%) were also notably more expensive than a year prior. Notably, net cold rent increased by 1.9% year-on-year. Other services, such as telecommunications services, saw modest increases, around 0.2%.
Comparing September 2026 to August 2026, the overall consumer price index rose by 0.6%. Within the month, energy prices climbed by 3.8%, driven by increased consumer spending on light heating oil (+18.5%) and fuels (+6.9%, with diesel rising by 7.5% and super gasoline by 6.7%). Seasonally-driven clothing items were also more expensive in the last month (+5.6%).
Monthly changes in food prices showed food rising by 0.4% (with vegetables up by 3.5%), although meat and meat products actually decreased by 0.5%. Internally, international flights became significantly cheaper (-7.3%), and package tours abroad dropped by 4.2%.
