1.1. Contact organisation
Statistics Denmark
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Prices and Consumption
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Sankt Kjelds Plads 11, 2100 København Ø, Denmark
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
29 August 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
29 August 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
22 August 2025
3.1. Data description
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) is a consumer price index (CPI) that is calculated according to a harmonised approach. It measures the change over time of the prices of consumer goods and services acquired by households (inflation).
Due to the common methodology, the HICPs of the countries and European aggregates can be directly compared.
3.2. Classification system
European classification of individual consumption according to purpose (ECOICOP).
3.3. Coverage - sector
The HICP covers the final monetary consumption expenditure of the household sector.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The main statistical variables are price indices.
3.5. Statistical unit
The basic unit of statistical observation are prices for consumer products.
3.6. Statistical population
Please see the information under the next points.
3.6.1. Statistical target population
The target statistical universe is the 'household final monetary consumption expenditure' (HFMCE) on the economic territory of the country by both resident and non-resident households. The household sector to which the definition refers, includes all individuals or groups of individuals irrespective of, in particular, the type of area in which they live, their position in the income distribution and their nationality or residence status. These definitions follow the national accounts concepts in the European System of Accounts.
3.6.1.1. Statistical target population - national specifics
The domestic concept is implemented via the National Accounts data on private consumption. These are calculated by colleagues in National Accounts to reflect household consumption on the Danish territory including individuals living in institutional households and including foreigners’ expenditure in Denmark and excluding Danes’ consumption abroad. National Accounts takes account of these expenditures using supply-use tables and institutional households covered are e.g. prisons and homes for elderly. National Accounts exclude business expenditure to the extent possible.
The only areas that are left out are those areas which are not required by the HICP regulations (e.g. prostitution and narcotics drugs).
The data used for the compilation of the weights are not adjusted except for one case. FISIM is subtracted from the National Accounts data on financial services.
All sub-indices accounting for at least one part in thousand is transmitted to Eurostat.
3.7. Reference area
Please see the information under the next point.
3.7.1. Geographical coverage
The HICP refers to the economic territory of a country as referred to in paragraph 2.05 of Annex A to ESA 2010, with the exception that the extraterritorial enclaves situated within the boundaries of a Member State or a country are included and the territorial enclaves situated in the rest of the world are excluded.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Please see the information under the next points.
3.8.1. Start of time series
The HICP series started in January 1997.
3.8.2. Start of time series - national specifics
The Danish HICP is available from 1997 to the present.
3.9. Base period
2015=100.
The following units are used:
- Index point
- Percentage change on the same period of the previous year (rates);
- Percentage change on the previous period (rates);
- Percentage share of the total (weights).
HICP is a monthly statistics.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (HICPs) are harmonised inflation figures required under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Regulation (EU) 2016/792 of the European Parliament and the Council of 11 May 2016 (OJ L 135) sets the legal basis for establishing a harmonised methodology for the compilation of the HICP and the HICP-CT.
This regulation is implemented by Commission Regulation (EU) 2020/1148 of 31 July 2020.
All the HICP legislation can be found in the HICP decicated section in Eurostat's website: Legislation - Eurostat (europa.eu).
Further documentation, namely recommendations on specific topics, can be found in the Methodology page.
6.1.1. Legal acts - deviations
No deviations from the legal requirements for the HICP.
6.1.2. National legal acts and other agreements
The HICP legal acts have not been transferred to national legal acts.
6.1.3. Access to administrative data
National authorities are obliged by law to grant access to administrative data to Statistics Denmark in general and not only for the purposes of price statistics.
6.1.4. Organisation unit - portfolio
Consumer price statistics is placed in the division of Prices and Consumption in Statistics Denmark. The division of Prices and Consumption is responsible for the following statistics:
- CPI (the national consumer price index including the national net price index)
- HICP (Harmonized index of consumer prices including the HICP-CT)
- PPI (producer price index)
- SPPI (service producer price index)
- PPP (purchasing power parities)
- Residential and Commercial Property Price Statistics (this includes the HPI and OOH indices)
- Construction Cost Indices
- HBS (Household budget survey)
- Statistics on Consumption and Sales of Alcohol and Tobacco
- Statistics on Compulsory Real Estate Sales
- Consumer Expectations
- Statistics on Home Appliances
The consumer price section within the Division of Prices and Consumption is responsible for the CPI and HICP.
The Division of Prices and Consumption is placed within Economic Statistics in Statistics Denmark. Economic Statistics also includes National Accounts, Government Finances, External economy and Economic Models.
6.1.5. Regional organisation of consumer price statistics
There are no regional statistical offices in Denmark and hence everything is placed at the central office in Statistics Denmark.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
None.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 11 March 2009, on the transmission of data subject to statistical confidentiality to the Statistical Office of the European Communities.
'Persondataloven' gives restrictions regarding publication and sharing of data that can be attributed to individual persons. 'Forvaltningsloven' rules that data collected for statistical purposes cannot be shared with other public authorities for other purposes.
This means that the individual price observations collected for the HICP are being treated as confidential whereas weights and item descriptions are not being treated as confidential.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Statistics Denmark will never publish data that can be attributed to an individual person or a single company. Only aggregated data will be published.
In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see point 10 - 'Accessibility and clarity') respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.
8.1. Release calendar
The HICP is released according to Eurostat’s Release calendar (filters: Economy and Finance/Euro indicator).
The calendar is publically available and published at the end of the year for the full following year.
8.2. Release calendar access
The Danish HICP is always released simultaneously to the public at 8:00 a.m. on the 10th of the month or the first working day thereafter following the month in which the data were collected.
8.3. Release policy - user access
The Danish HICP is released to all users at the same time. No one outside Statistics Denmark gets access to the data before publication.
The Danish HICP is always released simultaneously to the public at 8:00 a.m. on the 10th of the month or the first working day thereafter following the month in which the data were collected.
Monthly.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
The data are released simultaneously to all interested parties at 8:00 a.m. on the 10th of the month or the first working day thereafter following the month in which the data were collected, by issuing the news release 'Nyt fra Danmarks Statistik' at Danmarks Statistik.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
No publications apart from the news release is being produced.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Overall indices and sub-groups down to the 5-digit ECOICOP level are published at Statistikbanken.
The Danish HICP can be accessed directly at Statistikbanken PRIS 117. The Danish HICP-CT can be accessed directly at Statistikbanken PRIS 118.
10.3.1. Publication levels
Overall indices and sub-groups down to the 5-digit ECOICOP level are published at Statistikbanken.
The HICP is published with one decimal (both index levels and rates of change).
10.3.2. Publication by regions
Regional indices for the Danish HICP are not being produced.
10.3.3. Publication by households
The national CPI is published for different types of households and is available at Statistikbanken PRIS 201.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Researchers wishing access to Danish HICP micro data should contact Statistics Denmark to enquire whether it will be possible to get access to the data given the specific circumstances. Micro data will always be made anonymous so that it cannot be attributed to a single individual company.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
The Internet web site (Prisindeks - Danmarks Statistik) disseminates time series for the overall CPI, the net price index and the Danish Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP). Furthermore different documentation and the weights used in the calculations are also presented there.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
The HICP Methodological Manual 2024 provides the reference methodology for the production of HICP.
10.6.1. Further methodological guidelines available at national level
The methodology is described in a 'Statistical documentation' which can be found at Forbrugerprisindeks - Danmarks Statistik and documentation is available on the homepage as well.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
See Eurostat's Compliance Monitoring Report of 2021 and its follow-up report of 2023.
National quality reports on the HICP have so far not been issued.
11.1. Quality assurance
See information under the next points.
11.1.1. Quality management - Compliance Monitoring
11.1.2. Quality assurance - national specifics
The following control procedures are in place in Denmark regarding the production of the HICP:
- Short descriptions of work routines in connection with index calculations and publications exist and are being used in the production.
- Check lists exist for the various tasks in connection with the HICP production, ensuring that tasks are completed in the right order.
A user handbook for the Oracle computer system used for data entry and calculations also exists.
- At least two different people check the quality adjustments carried out.
- Before publication at least two different staff members check the calculated indices.
- Once a month a so-called 'quality meeting' is held where the sample is reviewed and revisions proposed and discussed as well as other subjects in connection with the quality of the HICP. Changes to HICP legislation are also tackled at these meetings.
- A methodological manual describing both the CPI and HICP in detail exists and is publically available on the CPI/HICP website: Statistics Denmark.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
See next points.
11.2.1. Compliance monitoring - last report and main results
The last available compliance or follow-up report can be found in the HICP section on Eurostat’s website, under 'Quality'.
11.2.2. Quality assessment - national specifics
Formal national quality assessments of the Danish HICP has not been made.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
In addition to being a general measure of inflation, the HICP is also used in the areas of:
- wages, social benefit and contract indexation;
- economic forecasting and analysis;
- measuring specific price trends;
- accounting purposes and deflating other series;
- inflation targeting by central banks;
- cross-country economic comparisons.
The euro area (evolving composition) index is used by the European Central Bank (ECB) as the main indicator for monetary policy management. The ECB and the European Commission's Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN) use the HICP for assessing price stability and price convergence required for entry into European Monetary Union.
Other users include: National Central Banks, financial institutions, economic analysts, the media and the public at large.
12.1.1. User Needs - national specifics
The users of the HICP are primarily the European Central Bank, the European Commission, the Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs, and the Danish National Central Bank. As HICP has been calculated on a comparable basis in all EU countries, the figures are primarily used where there is a need for comparing development in consumer prices across countries.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
User satisfaction surveys are not performed but the general view is that quality of the Danish HICP is satisfactory. Once a year a meeting is held with main Danish users of price statistics and this is the usual response to the HICP.
12.3. Completeness
The ECOICOP indices at 5-digit level for the HICP and HICP-CT being produced can be seen in the weights table available at Forbrugerprisindeks - Danmarks Statistik.
Some 5-digit level indices with a weight below one of a thousand are not being produced.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Overall accuracy
The overall reliability of the HICP is considered to be high.
Sources of inaccuracy
The sample
The HICP is calculated on the basis of a sample of approx. 24 000 prices collected from some 1 500 shops, companies and institutions throughout Denmark. Most prices are collected monthly. For goods and services, where the prices typically change less frequently, prices are collected more rarely, for instance quarterly or biannually. For clothing and fresh food etc. prices are collected by price collectors who visit the individual shops. For the biggest supermarket chains for COICOP groups 1 and 2, they are also covered by scanner data. Other relevant goods (hygiene products, pet food etc.) sold in Supermarkets are also covered by scanner data. For the remaining groups of goods and services, prices are mainly obtained from digital questionnaires, list prices from supermarkets outside COICOP group 1 and 2 are also used. Finally, Statistics Denmark obtains information on prices on a number of selected goods and services by telephone or via the Internet. The weights are created on the basis of the information about the composition of consumption expenditure according to the national accounts and the Household Budget Survey.
No calculation has been made of the uncertainty connected with sampling in the HICP. The statistical uncertainty inherent in the weights affects the uncertainty in the HICP, but the effect is very limited. The non-response in the sample is estimated to be less than 1 percent.
In addition to the 'general' uncertainty connected with sampling, there are a number of sources of potential bias in the HICP, which can be grouped as follows:
Substitution between goods
Bias due to substitution between goods is a result of the fact that for different reasons (changes in income and in relative prices or preferences), consumers substitute between different goods, although an unchanged composition of consumption is assumed in the calculation of the price index. The HICP is calculated as the weighted arithmetic average of the most detailed price indices (elementary aggregate indices) with their respective budget shares used as weights. At this level of the index calculation no allowances are therefore made for the consumers' substitution between different groups of goods and services (elementary aggregates). However, the elementary aggregate indices are calculated as geometrical indices. Thereby it is assumed that the consumers hold unchanged budget shares. This means that if the price of a commodity rises by x percent, the consumers are assumed to reduce their consumption of the commodity by x percent. For these groups a certain substitution has thus been recognised in the index.
Substitution between shops
This type of bias arises when the consumers for the same commodity change from shops with high prices to shops with lower prices. The HICP is calculated monthly on the basis of price information from the same shops. If, e.g. greater shares of the consumers' expenditure from July until August is accounted for by discount shops with lower prices, this will not in itself have an impact on the index. Only when a shop has been included for at least two months in succession are the prices from there included in the index calculation.
Changes in quality
In calculating a price index it is assumed that the baskets of goods that are compared are identical, also with respect to the quality of the goods. Consequently, in the case of changes in quality the prices should, in principle, be adjusted for this. As the value of the actual changes in quality is not known, it is naturally difficult to calculate estimates for bias, due to lack of quality adjustment.
New commodities
The sample for the HICP is continuously updated, but for practical reasons often with a certain time lag. This means that new products are frequently not included in the compilation of the index x when they are first introduced on the market, and not until prices have been available for two months in succession. Furthermore, at the beginning of a product's lifetime it is often impossible to obtain any information about sales. Finally, a great deal of uncertainty is associated with the task of defining whether it is actually a new product or just improved versions/varieties of already existing products.
Calculation formula
The first step in the index calculation consists of calculating the elementary aggregate index from the prices collected (and any weights for these prices). To the extent that the index calculated on this basis deviates from the 'true' price rise, it is a formula bias. Frequent updates of the weights and the sample can reduce the potential bias as a result of the consumers' substitution between goods and shops and the appearance of new goods.
13.2. Sampling error
Statistics Denmark does not produce numerical estimates of HICP sampling errors because they are difficult to quantify due to the complexity of price index structures and due to use of non-probability sampling. For products, probability sampling is not possible due to incomplete knowledge of the full product universe.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Non-sampling errors are in general not quantified.
13.3.1. Coverage error
Danish consumers purchases from foreign internet shops not registered in Denmark is not currently included in the sample frame population.
13.3.1.1. Coverage error population
No deviations.
13.3.1.2. Coverage error regions
The target is to cover all parts of Denmark and our samples are designed accordingly.
14.1. Timeliness
The full set of HICPs is published each month according to a pre-announced schedule, usually between 15 and 18 days after the end of the reference month. Each year, the January news release is published at the end of February to allow for the annual update of the weights of individual product groups and the relative country weights of Members States in the country-group aggregates.
14.1.1. Time lag - final result
The Danish HICP is always released simultaneously to the public at 8:00 a.m. on the 10th of the month or the first working day thereafter following the month in which the data were collected.
14.1.2. Timeliness of sub-indices
Prices for pharmaceuticals are collected by The Danish Health and Medicine Authority which is a public enterprise under the Danish Ministry of Health. They produce a price index for pharmaceuticals every month based on a total sample of products sold in pharmacies and supermarkets where subsidies to pharmaceuticals are deducted from the prices. Hence the price index depends on the actual payments of the consumers. This price index is quality adjusted using DDDs (defined daily doses). The index is hence of high quality. The drawback is that it is only available with a one month delay. This price index is directly used in the Danish HICP but in practice the index refers to the price development one month in the past.
Rental prices dwellings is collected monthly for the previous month, and published quarterly.
14.2. Punctuality
Since March 1997, launch of the HICP release, the HICP for the country groups aggregates has always been published on the pre-announced release dates.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
HICPs across Member States aim to be comparable. Any differences at all levels of detail should only reflect differences in price changes or expenditure patterns.
To this end, concepts and methods have been harmonised by means of legislation. HICPs that deviate from these concepts and methods are deemed comparable if they result in an index that is estimated to differ systematically by less than or equal to 0.1 percentage points on average over one year against the previous year (Article 4 of Council and Parliament Regulation (EU) 2016/792).
15.2. Comparability - over time
HICP data are fully comparable over time. There have been several improvements in methodology since the HICP was introduced, with the aim of improving reliability and comparability of the HICP. These changes may have introduced breaks in time series. However back calculations under the newer standards were performed when appropriate basic data was available.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Differences between the HICP and national CPI
The national CPI and the HICP are based on exactly the same price observations for the same items collected from the same outlets. Gross prices are used in both cases. There is also no difference between the methods of calculating the national CPI and the HICP. The only difference is the coverage.
All expenditure consumption included in the HICP is also included in the national CPI, but owner-occupied dwellings and insurance in connection with owner-occupied dwellings are not included in the HICP; they are included in the national CPI instead.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The HICPs are internally coherent. Higher level aggregations are derived from detailed indices according to well-defined procedures.
Not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
The HICP series, including back data, is revisable under the terms set in Articles 17-20 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1148.
17.1.1. Data revision - policy - national specifics
The revision policy is not to revise the Danish HICP once it has been published except in case of big errors in the data or calculations. In general the Danish HICP is not revised.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Data are considered final when published and are not revised except in cases of big errors. The Danish HICP has not been revised during the last 10 years.
18.1. Source data
Please see information under the next points.
18.1.1. Weights
The sources of the weights are the National Accounts at the highest level (figures for approximately 70 consumption groups are available) and the Household Budgetary Survey at the lowest level. There are approximately 450 national weights at the elementary aggregate level. In some cases other sources for the subdivision are used as well e.g. for public transportation.
There are no regional weights.
Below the ECOICOP level outlet weights and in some cases detailed product weights are being used. The outlet weights are based on figures on total turnover from the Danish Business Register. For food outlet weights are used which differ between product groups and these weights are based on market analysis reports or scanner data. Detailed product weights are to a large degree based on information from the HBS but other sources are also used (e.g. scanner data, no of issued newspapers, no of pupils in private schools).
Explicit weights for outlets and in detailed products are used below the level of elementary aggregate indices. Hence weighted geometric averages for the elementary aggregate indices are being used. Between 1 and some 20 price observations are collected for every specific product and specific outlet. Explicit weights are applied above this level. See the figure below. Around 1/3 of the product prices calculated below uses explicit outlet weights and around 20 percent of the elementary indices are calculated using explicit product weights. Most of the elementary indices consist of only one product group and in these cases no detailed product weights is naturally used. Where weights otherwise are not available equal weighting is used.
The weights at elementary aggregate level are updated every year, this has been the case since the implementation of former Commission Regulation (EC) No 1114/2010 on HICP weights in 2012. Before that the weights were only updated every third year. The implementation did not result in any changes to compilation and data sources of the weights.
The weights below the elementary level are updated approximately every second year.
The current weights are based on National accounts data for household consumption at the 4-digit ECOICOP level. The weights are further subdivided to the 5 and 6-digit ECOICOP levels using the relative consumption pattern in the HBS. The weights were updated from 2022 to year 2023 using the development from year 2022 to year 2023 in the quarterly national accounts at the level of the 4-digit COICOP. The 4th quarter of year 2023 in the quarterly national accounts were estimated using the development from the first three quarters of year 2022 to the first three quarters of year 2023 and multiplying this with the value of the 4th quarter of year 2022.
The weights are price-updated from the average of 2023 to December 2023 using the development in elementary aggregates at the 6-digit ECOICOP level.
18.1.1.1. Compilation at elementary aggregate level
See 18.1.1.
18.1.1.2. List of elementary aggregates
See annex.
18.1.1.3. Compilation of sub-index weights
See 18.1.1.
18.1.1.4. Price updating
The weights are price-updated from the average of year t-1 to December t-1 using the development in elementary aggregates at the 6-digit COICOP level.
The weights are not price updated from the usual weight reference period (year t-2) to the previous year (year t-1).
18.1.2. Prices
The HICP is compiled on the basis of a sample of approximately 24,000 price observations collected from approximately 1,500 shops, companies, and institutions all over the country. The prices are collected by questionnaires or by means of price collectors who visit the individual shops. Prices on food and beverages and household items are to a large extent covered by the use of scanner data from supermarket chains. Prices are also obtained via the Internet. Most prices are by far collected monthly. For goods and services, where the prices typically change less frequently, prices are collected more rarely, for instance quarterly or biannually.
18.1.2.1. Prices Data Source - detailed information
The annex shows the sources of price data at the level of elementary aggregates.
18.1.2.2. Price collection survey
The annex shows the sources of price data at the level of elementary aggregates.
Prices for clothing, shoes and fresh food from butchers, bakeries etc. are collected by price collectors visiting the outlets. A part of the prices collected by surveys are collected by questionnaires sent to the outlets by sending a link to a digital questionnaire. These questionnaires are mandatory to fill in under the penalty of a fine.
The remaining survey prices are collected on the internet from web shops for a number of products and services by the central staff. More and more outlets in Denmark are providing their prices on their web pages as well as having actual web shops. Examples on product groups were prices are being collected from the internet is computers, TV and radio, cultural services and music downloads and clothing. In some cases the prices are used as representative for products purchased by internet (e.g. clothing) and in other cases the prices also represent prices in physical outlets (e.g. computers).
18.1.2.3. Administrative data sources
Rents, electricity and pharmaceuticals are calculated from administrative data sources.
The rent index is calculated by Statistics Denmark on approximately 550,000 prices for the social housing part of the market.
The average electricity price is calculated by the Danish Utility Regulator on energy consumer contracts.
Prices for pharmaceuticals are collected by The Danish Health and Medicines Authority which is a public enterprise under the Danish Ministry of Health. They produce a price index for pharmaceuticals every month based on a total sample of products sold in pharmacies and supermarkets where subsidies to pharmaceuticals are deducted from the prices. Hence the price index depends on the actual payments of the consumers. This price index is quality adjusted using DDDs (defined daily doses).
18.1.2.4. Transaction data - general information
Prices on food and beverages and household items are to a large extent covered by the use of scanner data from the four biggest supermarket chains in Denmark. These four chains have a total market share for food and beverages of approximately 80 per cent.
18.1.2.5. Web scraping - general information
Web scraping is currently not used in the Danish HICP.
18.1.3. Sampling
Please see information under the next points.
18.1.3.1. Sampling design - locations for survey
See 18.1.3.2.
18.1.3.2. Sampling design - outlets
Prices are collected from approximately 1500 retail outlets every month. The outlet sample can in principle be updated every month. If an outlet leaves the sample it is immediately replaced. Likewise new outlets can be included in the sample any given month.
Whenever an outlet closes a new outlet from the same geographical area is drawn from the Danish Business Register. Furthermore the outlet sample is actively adjusted on an ongoing basis to keep it representative over time. For example shops selling music can be replaced by internet shops from where music is sold in a digital format.
When selecting outlets for the sample it is attempted to cover different types of outlets, that is, specialised stores, supermarkets and discount stores. Furthermore, outlets are chosen in order to get a broad geographical coverage.
The outlets are selected based on their turnover. Outlets with relatively high turnovers are being covered, whereas outlets with limited turnover in general are not selected for the sample. This sort of sampling is known as cut-off sampling. The Danish Business Register is used for information regarding turnover. In addition to selection based on turnover it is also attempted to select outlets that are price leaders. When selecting outlets for the sample the burden on the respondents is also considered.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Price data is collected every month.
18.3. Data collection
See information under the next points.
18.3.1. Timing of price collection
Prices from most product groups are collected between the 7th and 15th of every month. For fresh foods the prices are collected between the 7th and 18th of every month to make sure that prices for different fresh foods are collected from at least two different working weeks.
For almost all product groups the prices from the same outlet are collected only once during the month. Energy prices are however collected up to three times a month throughout the month from the same outlets.
The standards of the Commission Regulation No 701/2006 on temporal coverage where implemented in May 2007 by using an overlap sample using the new standards as well as the old. The use of the overlap sample ensured that there was no break in the indices. Before the change all prices were collected between the 7th and the 15th of the month.
18.3.2. Devices for price collection
For the price collection tablets are being used.
Data is formed into three XML files sent by email to the price collector company. Then the price collectors download the three files into the tablet using Wi-fi.
After the price collection three XML files are sent back to Statistics Denmark, where the files are loaded into a database and data processing can begin.
Since prices in the database are entered automatically, only large price changes and product replacements that are flagged automatically have to be dealt with by the central staff.
18.4. Data validation
Controls on the quality of the data
When data are entered into the database they are checked manually for obvious errors. Before calculating the HICP, the consistency of the data is checked automatically. Checks are made to see whether there is a price match between the current and previous month for all observations and to detect decimal errors.
Extremes are detected automatically by the Hidiroglou-Berthelot (HB) model for product groups with more than five price changes. For product groups with less than five price changes, extremes are identified as price changes of more than 10 percent. The extremes are checked manually and included or excluded accordingly.
When the indices have been calculated, they are checked manually for unusual changes.
18.4.1. Data validation - Survey data
When data are entered into the database they are automatically checked for obvious errors. Extreme price changes are immediately subject to manual controls.
Before calculating the HICP, the consistency of the data is checked automatically. Checks are made to see whether there is a price match between the current and previous month for all observations and to detect decimal errors.
Extremes are detected automatically by the Hidiroglou-Berthelot (HB) model for product groups with more than five price changes. For product groups with less than five price changes, extremes are identified as price changes of more than 10 percent. The extremes are checked manually and included or excluded accordingly.
When the indices have been calculated, they are checked manually for unusual changes.
18.4.2. Data validation - transaction data, web scraping and large administrative data
See 18.4.1.
18.4.3. Data validation - weights
The plausibility of zero weights are checked annually with colleagues from National accounts and the Household Budget Survey (HBS).
18.4.4. Indices
Price indices are checked manually on a monthly basis by looking at graphs with the price indices over the last 4 years. Unusual developments are checked and validated by looking into the micro-data and by contacting the data providers if necessary.
18.5. Data compilation
Please see information under the next points.
18.5.1. Elementary price index formulae
Elementary indices
Elementary indices in the Danish HICP are calculated using the Jevons index.
The index formula is a weighted Jevons. The Jevons index has to a large extent been chosen due to the good axiomatic properties of the geometric index.
The weighting is made on two levels: on the COICOP 8-digit level (product prices) and at the store level. The COICOP 8 level weights are to a large extent based on the household budget survey and the COICOP specific store weights are based on information on turnover from the Business Register.
Store prices are based on an unweighted geometrical average of the actual price observations for the same products collected from the same store or chain of stores.
Product prices are the geometrical weighted average of the different store prices. Explicit weights are applied whenever reliable data is available.
Basis prices are calculated across the product prices of products/services belonging to the same product group. Explicit weights are applied whenever reliable data is available. In some cases the basis prices is calculated across just one product price.
Finally, the monthly elementary indices are calculated as the monthly change in the basis prices and the result is chained to the elementary index series.
Higher level indices
Indices above the elementary index level are calculated using a Laspeyres-type index or theoretically a Lowe index.
In practice the Laspeyres-type index is calculated using weights that correspond to the relative share of total consumer expenditure in the different elementary aggregates.
The resulting indices are finally chained to prior 'links' of the indices where other elementary aggregate weights have been applied.
Price observations are entered into the calculations with two decimal places. For instance a price entered could be 105,85 kr. or 105 Danish kroner and 85 øre.
Weights at the level of the elementary aggregates are entered into the system rounded to million kroner. For instance the weight for rice is 441 million Danish kroner in the HICP in 2013. These weights are recalculated automatically by the compilation system into budget shares using all decimals in the calculations and these budget shares are used for calculating the indices.
Weights below elementary aggregates at the level of stores and products are entered into the compilation system as budget shares rounded to percentages. For instance a store weight could be 34 percent.
All decimals are used in the compilation of the indices and the final indices are rounded to one decimal. Published rates of change are based on the indices rounded to one decimal.
18.5.2. Aggregation of different data sources
See 18.5.1.
18.5.3. Chaining, linking and splicing methods
See 18.5.1. A splicing technique is not applied.
18.5.4. Quality adjustments and replacements
See information under the next points.
18.5.4.1. Quality adjustment - detailed information
In general implicit quality adjustments are made for most products and services in the sample. When the quality is assessed not to have changed significantly, the entire price difference is taken into the index (direct comparison). Broad product descriptions are applied so small changes in the products and services will not be considered as quality changes in this regard. When the quality change is assessed to be significant, the price change between items leaving and entering the sample is usually imputed by the average price change in the corresponding elementary aggregate (bridged overlap method). The rest of the price difference between the items leaving and entering the sample is implicitly assumed to be due to a quality difference. The assessment in this procedure is done together by at least two persons from the central staff using as far as possible detailed information about the products found for instance on the internet. This method is used for almost all products and services. As the assessment is done on a case-by-case basis it is considered to be an acceptable method.
In some cases overlapping prices are used if the price of the new good is known in the overlapping month.
For IT-equipment the 'monthly matched model and chaining' method is used.
Explicit quality adjustments are only made for rents, internet connections and in case of quantity changes (especially food products). For used cars an hedonic model is implicitly being used, as the price index is based on model-prices from a private company.
The link to show no price change method is never applied.
The incidence of quality changes is not explicitly monitored and no statistics is compiled about quality changes.
18.5.4.2. Replacements - detailed information
When a product leaves the market, and therefore the sample, outlets and price collectors have been instructed to select a replacement immediately. The nearest substitute or the product with largest turnover is chosen, depending on the circumstances.
When a price observation is missing the price change is estimated based on changes in prices of the same group of products (the same elementary aggregate).
Product prices for replacements are compared with the prices of the products leaving the sample after quality adjustment, if necessary.
When a product leaves the sample on sale at a reduced price and it is not possible to find a replacement product an imputed price equal to the regular price of the old product is included in the calculations the following month. This is done to avoid a downward bias in the index due to products leaving the sample on sale on a continuous basis.
Information of the number of missing prices is not readily available but most missing prices relates to seasonal goods being out of season.
18.5.5. Administered prices
The classification of administered prices is updated on an annual basis by examining whether any major changes have happened in the legislation for the different ECOICOP-groups. The work is carried out by the consumer price section at Statistics Denmark.
18.5.6. HICP at constant tax rates
The monthly Danish HICP-CT is being produced according to the requirements in the HICP-CT manual and send to Eurostat at the same time as the HICP. The adjustments to set the tax rate to equal the rate in December last year is done at the level of the individual product. The Danish HICP-CT has been provided to Eurostat since 2008 with the same level of detail as the HICP. The HICP-CT is available from 2003 onwards, but the indices from 2003 to 2006 have only been estimated based on the Danish Net Price Index. From 2007 onwards the Danish HICP-CT has been properly calculated from the individual price observations and up.
Tax changes in Denmark are reported by the Ministry of Tax and the changes are taken into account in the HICP-CT in the month they occur.
The following taxes are covered by the Danish HICP-CT:
- Excise duties and consumption taxes: chocolate and candy, nuts, tea, coffee and mineral waters, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages (even in restaurants, café and the like), tobacco, electricity, heating oil, natural gas, coal, petrol and diesel, light bulbs, plastic bags.
- Car registration taxes: registration duties for cars and new motorbikes.
- Taxes on insurance premiums: third-party liability insurance.
- VAT
In total approx. 98.6 percent of the tax amounts relevant for the HICP-CT is covered by the Danish HICP-CT (source: final technical report send to Eurostat regarding the HICP-CT).
18.5.7. HICP flash estimate
Statistics Denmark does not produce a HICP flash estimate.
18.5.8. Other quality and processing issues
Please see information under the next points.
18.5.8.1. Missing prices
When a product leaves the market, and therefore the sample, outlets and price collectors have been instructed to select a replacement immediately. The nearest substitute or the product with largest turnover is chosen, depending on the circumstances.
When a price observation is missing the price change is estimated based on changes in prices of the same group of products (the same elementary aggregate).
Product prices for replacements are compared with the prices of the products leaving the sample after quality adjustment, if necessary.
When a product leaves the sample on sale at a reduced price and it is not possible to find a replacement product an imputed price equal to the regular price of the old product is included in the calculations the following month. This is done to avoid a downward bias in the index due to products leaving the sample on sale on a continuous basis.
Information of the number of missing prices is not readily available but most missing prices relates to seasonal goods being out of season.
18.5.8.2. Sales and discounts
Price reductions are included in the Danish HICP and the guidelines for treatment of reduced prices in the HICP are followed. Whenever a product in the sample has a sales price the price is reported by the outlet or price collector and they are instructed to state that it is a sales price. The sales price is included in the calculations.
When a product leaves the sample on sale at a reduced price and it is not possible to find a replacement product an imputed price equal to the regular price of the old product is included in the calculations the following month. This is done to avoid a downward bias in the index due to products leaving the sample on sale on a continuous basis.
Bulk purchases (three for the price of two) are included for food and drinks, that are based on scanner data.
18.5.9. Specific product groups
Please see information under the next points.
18.5.9.1. Seasonal items
All seasonal products are treated with the method labelled 'counter-seasonal estimation' (Article 2 of Commission Implementing regulation (EU) 2020/1148). This has been the case since 2003 in the Danish HICP. Before 2003 the prices were usually carried forward when out of season.
There are not many seasonal food products in Denmark so seasonal goods in Denmark are mainly clothing and footwear. Package holidays are also treated as seasonal items (summer vacations and skiing holidays) and the same is true for amusement parks.
18.6. Adjustment
Please see the information under the next point.
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
No seasonal adjustment is made.
None.
The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) is a consumer price index (CPI) that is calculated according to a harmonised approach. It measures the change over time of the prices of consumer goods and services acquired by households (inflation).
Due to the common methodology, the HICPs of the countries and European aggregates can be directly compared.
22 August 2025
The main statistical variables are price indices.
The basic unit of statistical observation are prices for consumer products.
Please see the information under the next points.
Please see the information under the next point.
HICP is a monthly statistics.
Overall accuracy
The overall reliability of the HICP is considered to be high.
Sources of inaccuracy
The sample
The HICP is calculated on the basis of a sample of approx. 24 000 prices collected from some 1 500 shops, companies and institutions throughout Denmark. Most prices are collected monthly. For goods and services, where the prices typically change less frequently, prices are collected more rarely, for instance quarterly or biannually. For clothing and fresh food etc. prices are collected by price collectors who visit the individual shops. For the biggest supermarket chains for COICOP groups 1 and 2, they are also covered by scanner data. Other relevant goods (hygiene products, pet food etc.) sold in Supermarkets are also covered by scanner data. For the remaining groups of goods and services, prices are mainly obtained from digital questionnaires, list prices from supermarkets outside COICOP group 1 and 2 are also used. Finally, Statistics Denmark obtains information on prices on a number of selected goods and services by telephone or via the Internet. The weights are created on the basis of the information about the composition of consumption expenditure according to the national accounts and the Household Budget Survey.
No calculation has been made of the uncertainty connected with sampling in the HICP. The statistical uncertainty inherent in the weights affects the uncertainty in the HICP, but the effect is very limited. The non-response in the sample is estimated to be less than 1 percent.
In addition to the 'general' uncertainty connected with sampling, there are a number of sources of potential bias in the HICP, which can be grouped as follows:
Substitution between goods
Bias due to substitution between goods is a result of the fact that for different reasons (changes in income and in relative prices or preferences), consumers substitute between different goods, although an unchanged composition of consumption is assumed in the calculation of the price index. The HICP is calculated as the weighted arithmetic average of the most detailed price indices (elementary aggregate indices) with their respective budget shares used as weights. At this level of the index calculation no allowances are therefore made for the consumers' substitution between different groups of goods and services (elementary aggregates). However, the elementary aggregate indices are calculated as geometrical indices. Thereby it is assumed that the consumers hold unchanged budget shares. This means that if the price of a commodity rises by x percent, the consumers are assumed to reduce their consumption of the commodity by x percent. For these groups a certain substitution has thus been recognised in the index.
Substitution between shops
This type of bias arises when the consumers for the same commodity change from shops with high prices to shops with lower prices. The HICP is calculated monthly on the basis of price information from the same shops. If, e.g. greater shares of the consumers' expenditure from July until August is accounted for by discount shops with lower prices, this will not in itself have an impact on the index. Only when a shop has been included for at least two months in succession are the prices from there included in the index calculation.
Changes in quality
In calculating a price index it is assumed that the baskets of goods that are compared are identical, also with respect to the quality of the goods. Consequently, in the case of changes in quality the prices should, in principle, be adjusted for this. As the value of the actual changes in quality is not known, it is naturally difficult to calculate estimates for bias, due to lack of quality adjustment.
New commodities
The sample for the HICP is continuously updated, but for practical reasons often with a certain time lag. This means that new products are frequently not included in the compilation of the index x when they are first introduced on the market, and not until prices have been available for two months in succession. Furthermore, at the beginning of a product's lifetime it is often impossible to obtain any information about sales. Finally, a great deal of uncertainty is associated with the task of defining whether it is actually a new product or just improved versions/varieties of already existing products.
Calculation formula
The first step in the index calculation consists of calculating the elementary aggregate index from the prices collected (and any weights for these prices). To the extent that the index calculated on this basis deviates from the 'true' price rise, it is a formula bias. Frequent updates of the weights and the sample can reduce the potential bias as a result of the consumers' substitution between goods and shops and the appearance of new goods.
The following units are used:
- Index point
- Percentage change on the same period of the previous year (rates);
- Percentage change on the previous period (rates);
- Percentage share of the total (weights).
Please see information under the next points.
Please see information under the next points.
Monthly.
The full set of HICPs is published each month according to a pre-announced schedule, usually between 15 and 18 days after the end of the reference month. Each year, the January news release is published at the end of February to allow for the annual update of the weights of individual product groups and the relative country weights of Members States in the country-group aggregates.
HICPs across Member States aim to be comparable. Any differences at all levels of detail should only reflect differences in price changes or expenditure patterns.
To this end, concepts and methods have been harmonised by means of legislation. HICPs that deviate from these concepts and methods are deemed comparable if they result in an index that is estimated to differ systematically by less than or equal to 0.1 percentage points on average over one year against the previous year (Article 4 of Council and Parliament Regulation (EU) 2016/792).
HICP data are fully comparable over time. There have been several improvements in methodology since the HICP was introduced, with the aim of improving reliability and comparability of the HICP. These changes may have introduced breaks in time series. However back calculations under the newer standards were performed when appropriate basic data was available.
