Germany’s Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) confirmed that the consumer‑price inflation rate for February 2026 was 1.9 %. Earlier in the month the agency had released an estimate, and the figures for January 2026 and December 2025 had shown 2.1 % and 1.8 %, respectively.
Destatis President Ruth Brand noted that the rise in consumer prices had eased slightly in February. The sharp increase that had driven inflation in January was largely due to food prices, which had fallen noticeably in February. In contrast, the service sector continued to push inflation higher.
Energy prices fell overall by 1.9 % in February, compared with a 1.7 % drop in January. From February 2025 to February 2026, household energy costs slipped by 3.5 %, including a 4.4 % fall in natural gas, a 4.1 % reduction in electricity, and a 1.0 % decrease in district heating. These gains are largely attributed to government measures implemented at the start of the year. Light heating oil also saw a 4.7 % drop, while prices for solid fuels climbed 6 % over the year, and motor fuels increased slightly by 0.3 %. The war in Iran and the Middle East that began on 28 February 2026 had not yet affected February’s price outcome.
Food prices were 1.1 % higher than a year earlier. This moderated the 2.1 % rise seen in January. Increases were largely concentrated in sweets and related products, such as sugar, jam, honey, and chocolate (+8.1 % overall, chocolate alone +13.7 %). Meat and meat products rose 4.5 % (beef and veal +14.5 %, poultry +8.2 %), and fresh fruit and vegetables were up 4.3 %. In contrast, edible fats and oils fell 19.7 % (butter -32.9 %, olive oil -12.8 %). Other staple foods, including potatoes and dairy products, fell 18.1 % and 4.9 % respectively, while eggs rose 14.5 %.
The core inflation rate (excluding energy) stood at 2.3 % for February, down from 2.5 % in January. The inflation rate excluding both food and energy (the commonly cited core inflation) remained at 2.5 % for the month. Both figures underscore that price pressures in other key categories remain above average.
Service prices overall were 3.2 % higher than a year earlier. Since January 2024 the inflation in services has outpaced overall inflation. In February, personal‑transportation services (+6.2 %) and social‑care facilities (+7.0 %) were the most expensive, with the former driven in part by the rise in the “Germany ticket” price at the start of the year. Other service categories that increased sharply included vehicle maintenance and repair (+5.0 %), health‑insurance services (+4.4 %), hospitality services (+3.4 %) and water‑supply and other household services (+3.3 %). Net apartment rents, which remain pivotal for overall price development, rose by 2.1 %. Only a handful of services, such as telecommunications, fell slightly (-0.2 %).
Goods prices were 0.8 % higher than a year earlier. Consumer goods rose 0.8 %, while durable goods increased 0.6 %. In addition to food (+1.1 %), other items, notably non‑alcoholic beverages (+5.3 % – with coffee, tea and cocoa up 16.7 %) and tobacco (+4.7 %), were noticeably costlier. Price declines, beyond energy (-1.9 %), were seen in household large‑appliances (-3.1 %).
Compared with January 2026, the consumer‑price index for February rose by 0.2 %. Food prices ticked up by 0.1 % (fresh vegetables +2.7 %), energy increased by 0.2 %, and services saw a rise in administrative fees (+6.9 %), largely due to new costs for identity documents. Seasonal demand also lifted package‑tour prices (+6.7 %).
