According to the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the wholesale prices in May 2025 showed a 0.4 percent increase compared to May 2024. This follows a 0.8 percent increase in April 2025 and a 1.3 percent increase in March 2025, respectively. The wholesale prices in May 2025, however, decreased by 0.3 percent compared to the previous month, April 2025.
The main driver of the overall increase in wholesale prices compared to the previous year was the price rise in food, beverages and tobacco products. On average, these prices were 4.3 percent higher in May 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Notably, coffee, tea, cocoa and spices saw a significant price increase of 38.4 percent, as did sugar, confectionery and baked goods, with a rise of 17.1 percent. Milk, dairy products, eggs, cooking oils and food fats also saw a notable increase of 8.9 percent.
Furthermore, the wholesale prices of non-ferrous metals and semi-finished products from these metals rose by 19.5 percent compared to the previous year.
In contrast, the prices of wholesale goods, particularly with fixed fuels and mineral oil products, were 8.5 percent lower in May 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
Additionally, the prices of wholesale goods in the categories of data processing and peripheral devices, as well as iron, steel and semi-finished products from these materials, were also lower in the year-over-year comparison, at -6.0 and -4.8 percent, respectively, according to Destatis.