Outputs on the topic of inflation measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP):

Change in the methodology of consumer prices survey

From January 2024, the Statistical Office of the SR processes price outputs for Food and non-alcoholic beverages division from a new data source - from scanner data, i.e. from the transaction data of retails chains. They replaced the traditional field survey, thus significantly expanding inputs on consumer prices in the mentioned division.  From January 2025, data for the Alcoholic beverages and tobacco division will be collected in the same way. The use of scanner data is an important part of the modernization of price statistics while maintaining and increasing its quality.

Harmonised inflation in the EU (HICP)

Harmonized Indices of Consumer Prices (HICP) are calculated according to a common methodology EU for comparability of inflation across countries. Annual average rate of change measured by the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices, is an important indicator of price stability in a country and its level is assessed as one of the four so-called Maastricht criteria before a country enters the euro area. The Statistical Office publishes data on the Harmonized Indices of Consumer Prices - the so-called HICP inflation monthly, on the day of publication of the data by Eurostat - in accordance to the First Release Calendar in the DATAcube. database chapter: 2. 3. 3 - Harmonized indices of con-sumer prices (HICP inflation).

HICP inflation, i.e. inflation measured by the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices is published usually a few days after the publication of inflation calculated according to the national methodology (CPI inflation). The consumer baskets of HICP and CPI differ slightly from each other; HICP, unlike CPI, does not include the item "Imputed rent" and selected items related to major household repairs and maintenance, which results in some differences in the weights of other items.