The consumer price index (CPI) increased by 0.2% in August 2021 compared with the previous month, reaching 101.3 points (December 2020 = 100). Inflation was +0.9% compared with the same month of the previous year. These are the results of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
The 0.2 % increase compared with the previous month is due to several factors including rising prices for housing rentals. Air transport also recorded a price increase, as did hotel accommodation. In contrast, prices for hire of private means of transport and medicines decreased.
Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP)
In August 2021, the Swiss Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) stood at 101.33 points (base 2015 = 100). This corresponds to a rate of change of +0.2 % compared with the previous month and of +0.8 % compared with the same month the previous year.
The HICP is a supplementary indicator for inflation based on a harmonised method across EU member countries. It enables inflation in Switzerland to be compared with that of European countries.
The European Statistical Office, Eurostat, publishes the results according to a predefined calendar. The FSO publishes a comparison between inflation in Switzerland and Europe on the webpage http://www.ipch.bfs.admin.ch. A methodological note, the 2021 weighting of the Swiss standard HICP basket and the FSO News publication on the HICP are also available on this page. Eurostat will publish the HICP indices for other European countries for August 2021 on September 17, 2021. You will find the HICP results on the Eurostat website at the following address: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/hicp
