Lithuania - Consumer Price Index (CPI)

Statistics Lithuania provdes consumer price index (CPI) data using the Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP) system. Monthly from 1990.

Topline data is provided in the following formats:

• Monthly CPI as compared to 2015
• The change as compared to correspong month of previous year
• Changes as compared to December of the previous year

More detailed information is provided as the month over month change utilizing the COICOP breakdown.

Active:

• Classification: COICOP 1999
• Measurements:
  • Fixed-base index relative 2015 (Index 2015=100)
  • Moving-base index relative to December of previous year (Index prv. Dec.=100)
  • to corresponding month of previous year (Index CPPY=100)
  • to previous month (Index prv. mo.=100)
  • Percent change relative to December of previous year (% M/prv. Dec.)
  • to corresponding month of previous year (% Y/Y)
  • to previous month (% M/M)
• Adjustment: Not seasonally adjusted (NSA)
• Native frequency: Monthly
• Start date: As early as 1990m12
• Geo coverage: Country

Predecessors:

• 2010=100 - 1990m12 to 2017m12 ("_10")
• 2005=100 - 1991m1 to 2012m12 ("05")
• 2000=100 - 1997m1 to 2007m2 ("2000")

The source writes:

Definition. Consumer price index (hereinafter – CPI) is a statistical indicator reflecting the average change in price level for consumer goods and services purchased and paid for and used by households directly to satisfy their needs, over a certain time period.

Periodicity. CPI is calculated and published every month.

Produced by: Department of Statistics to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter – Statistics Lithuania), Price Statistics Division.

Statistical data sources and data collection methods. The main statistical data source for the production the of CPI is the monthly statistical survey on retail prices of selected consumer goods and services in trade and service outlets of all ownership forms operating in selected territorial units. Information published in the legal acts of State institutions and local authorities, catalogues, pricelists, as well as on the websites of enterprises is also used as a statistical data source. Most prices of consumer goods and services are recorded by the price collectors of regional statistical offices (97% of all collected prices) by visiting trade and service outlets selected for the purpose of the price survey. Prices of some services are collected by telephone. Prices of electricity, natural gas, information technology equipment, cars, vehicles technical inspection, railway and air transport, sanatorium, services of post, telecommunications, package holidays, financial, some educational, notary and certain other services are collected by the specialists of the Price Statistics Division of Statistics Lithuania (3% of all collected prices) on the basis of information published in relevant legal acts, pricelists, as well as on the websites of enterprises. Prices of cold and hot water, centralized heat supply, rent of municipal residential premises, refuse and sewerage collection, elevator operation, local road transport, some educational and social services are collected by price collectors on the basis of legal acts of local authorities.

Methods applied

Calculation methods. The elementary price indices of the lowest level are computed in two stages. In the first stage, calculations are performed to derive the ratio of arithmetic averages of retail prices for each representative item i and a particular territorial unit, i.e. the arithmetic average of prices in the current month m is compared to the arithmetic average of prices in the previous month m-1. The obtained short-term price ratio is multiplied by the long-term price ratio for the representative item i in the previous month m-1 (month m-1 compared to December of the previous year). This method allows obtaining a long-term price ratio for the representative item i in the current period m in the specific territorial unit (price of the month m compared to the price in December of the previous year).

In the second stage, each territorial unit in which prices are surveyed is ascribed to a certain territory of the country. Comparative weightings of the population of a certain area are determined in relation to the total population of the country. Using the population weightings, a weighted arithmetic average of long-term price ratios in 18 territorial units is calculated for each representative item, i.e. an individual country level price index.

Individual price indices of representative items are aggregated into a higher level price indices and the country’s CPI according to the Laspeyres formula using reference weights (the share of monetary consumption expenditure for the acquisition of goods or services in the total monetary consumption expenditure of households in the base period). The items’ price indices are aggregated into price indices of 91 classes, 38 groups and 12 divisions under the COICOP classification and the country’s CPI by computing the indices of each level as and weighted arithmetic average.

The price index is not seasonally adjusted.

The prices of those goods and services whose prices were not recorded for other reasons are estimated by the following methods:

• the price of the previous month may be repeated if the price of the same product in other outlets has not changed or has changed very inconsiderably; however, the price may be repeated for one month only, afterwards a new item must be selected to replace the item that is no longer available;
• in the outlet, a missing price may be estimated using a short-term price ratio of the same item computed on the basis of the prices recorded in other outlets or territorial units, i.e. the price of the previous month is multiplied by the short-term price ratio;
• the missing price may be estimated on the basis of the short-term price ratio of a similar item or time group, i.e. the price of the previous month is multiplied by a short-term price ratio of a similar representative item or the short-term price ratio of a higher level.

Compliance with the EU requirements. The EU requirements for the CPI are not defined. For production of the CPI, the same methods and standards as for the CPI harmonised with other EU countries under the methodology (hereinafter – HICP) are applied.

Purpose. The CPI is used for the measurement of an inflation rate in the country, as an indexation tool for the compensation of a price increase, recalculation of various indicators at constant prices, as well as for analytic and forecasting purposes.

Selection of replacement items.  In case it becomes known that the representative item will not be sold (not produced, imported, unpopular, the service is no longer provided), the original product or service has to be replaced by another product or service having similar characteristics. The price of the newly selected product or service is entered into the calculation after it has been recorded for two months in succession.

Total length and characteristics of time series. In Lithuania, the CPI has been computed since May 1992.

The total CPI time series is available starting with the price indices of December 1990, time series of COICOP classification divisions, groups and classes – starting with the price indices of May 1992.

An index base period refers to the period for which the index is equated to 100. Having time series of price indices computed with one base period, it is possible to estimate price indices of various periods.

Timeliness and Punctuality

Price registration period. Retail prices of goods and services are registered by price collectors each month following the schedules of primary data collection of territorial unit in the outlets. Prices of goods and services are recorded on the 3^rd–22^nd of each reporting month (the main price collection takes 14 working days). Prices of seasonal food products and fuels are additionally recorded on the 15^th– 19^th price recording days (working days) in the additionally selected outlets.

Prices of seasonal goods are registered only during their selling season.  

Prices of goods are included into the CPI of the month when they have been registered, while prices of services – when the use of the service at set prices can be started.

Moody's Analytics supplements

For the fixed-base headline index, we construct a seasonally adjusted counterpart using X-13.

For detail, we construct moving-base indexes from the month-over-month percent variation.

No. The data are final upon first release.

Further reading

At the source:

• Consumer price index compilation methodology (Dec 2021, pdf)
• Consumer price index per DSBB template (Nov 2022)
• Data table S7R260: 2015=100
• Data table S7R121: Moving-base indexes

At IMF (SDDS Plus):

• Price index: Consumer prices (Jan 2022)