Germany’s Import Prices Drop in April, Energy Sector Drives the Change
The German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reported a 0.4 percent decrease in import prices in April 2025 compared to the same period last year. This marks a significant change from the 2.1 percent increase in March and the 3.6 percent rise in February.
The decline in import prices was largely driven by a 11.2 percent drop in energy prices, with crude oil, coal and mineral oil products experiencing significant decreases. In contrast, the prices of electrical power and natural gas rose by 25.9 and 12.7 percent, respectively, but fell by 17.5 and 14.9 percent, respectively, compared to March.
Excluding energy, the import price index was 0.8 percent higher than in April 2024, but fell by 0.8 percent compared to March. The price of industrial goods, including machinery and equipment, remained relatively stable, with a 0.1 percent decrease compared to the same period last year.
Consumer goods, on the other hand, saw a 2.6 percent increase in prices, driven by a 9.8 percent rise in food prices, particularly for meat, dairy products and beverages. The prices of coffee, butter and other dairy products also increased, with coffee rising by 52.9 percent and butter by 26.7 percent compared to the same period last year.
Germany’s export prices, meanwhile, rose by 1.0 percent in April compared to the same period last year, driven by a 2.1 percent increase in consumer goods and a 1.0 percent rise in investment goods. The prices of energy exports, including natural gas, fell by 10.4 percent compared to March, while the prices of agricultural goods, including coffee and dairy products, rose by 4.2 percent.
Overall, the decline in energy prices and the stability of industrial goods prices contributed to the decrease in Germany’s import prices in April, while the rise in consumer goods and agricultural prices drove the increase in export prices.