The producer prices for services in Germany rose on average by 2.2 % in 2025 compared with 2024, according to the statistical office Destatis. Within the year the index climbed 2.1 % in the fourth quarter relative to the same quarter in 2024, and the increase over the third quarter of the year was 0.3 %.
In the transportation and storage sector, the overall price rise in 2025 was only moderate at 1.5 % versus 2024, a significant slowdown from the 3.8 % rise seen in 2024 over 2023. Nevertheless, the increase varied widely among sub‑areas. Other postal, courier and express services jumped 4.9 % against 2024, while road freight prices grew 2.3 %. The jump in costs is attributed mainly to higher CO₂ taxes and wage increases at the start of the year, yet the rate of price escalation has weakened markedly compared with previous years (2024 over 2023 was 6.0 %).
Sea and coastal freight experienced a sharp fall: overall prices dropped 10.6 % in 2025 compared with the previous year. In the fourth quarter alone, prices fell 14.3 % vs the same quarter a year earlier. The downturn is due to weak demand driven by a sluggish economy, coupled with excess capacity in ships and containers. Freight rates fell 12.8 % against 2024, leading to an overall 1.5 % decline in freight service prices. The fourth quarter’s fall of 3.3 % relative to the prior quarter was particularly pronounced.
The information and communication sector registered a mild rise of 1.6 % in 2025. Software and software licences saw the strongest gains at 2.3 %, while IT consulting and support increased by 1.8 %. These hikes were triggered by higher general operating costs and wages at the start of the year. Prices for wired telecommunications rose 1.4 %, whereas wireless telecommunications slipped slightly by 0.6 %.
In real‑estate services, prices increased 2.2 % in 2025 over the previous year. Rent for residential and commercial properties rose 1.9 %, whereas brokerage and property management fees climbed 2.8 %. Companies cited broadly rising costs and contract‑based increases linked to specific price indices as reasons for the uptick.
Freelance, scientific and technical services grew 2.5 % in 2025 compared with 2024, a modest decline relative to earlier years (2024 over 2023 was 2.7 %, and 2023 over 2022 was 4.1 %). The biggest increases were recorded in accounting services (+5.0 %) and legal advisory services (+4.1 %), driven by new fee regulations that took effect mid‑year and raised charges for legal and tax consultants. General price rises at year’s start, reflecting higher overhead and wages, also contributed. Technical, physical and chemical testing services rose 3.6 %, largely due to higher fees for technical monitoring of road vehicles at the start of the year.
The administrative and support services category saw the largest rise among all service subsectors in 2025, increasing by 3.3 % over the prior year. Cleaning services led the way with a 4.9 % rise, likely linked to wage increases at the beginning of the year. Prices remained stable when compared with the preceding quarter. The temporary staffing segment also climbed 3.5 %, with companies citing higher operating costs and a challenging skilled‑worker labour market as key drivers.