The decrease in the general inflation rate is mainly driven by lower prices of package holidays, which are partly due to seasonal and calendar effects. The rise in food prices (+4.1 percent) is markedly higher than the general inflation rate.
The harmonised consumer price index for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, is expected to increase by 1.1 percent in April 2013 on April 2012. Compared with March 2013, it is expected to decrease by 0.5 percent.