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Import prices in industry

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National Reference Metadata in Euro SDMX Metadata Structure (ESMS)

Compiling agency: Statistics Denmark

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The total producer and import price index for commodities contains price information on:

  1. Imported commodities
  2. Commodities produced for domestic markets
  3. Commodities produced for export

The Producer price index for commodities indicates trends in prices relating to the first commercial transaction. The calculation is based on number 2 and 3. A range of sub-indices show distributions by Industry.

Import price index for commodities indicates trends in prices relating to the first commercial transaction. The calculation is based on number 1. A range of sub-indices show distributions by Industry.

The Price index for domestic supply indicates trends in the prices relating to the first commercial transaction. The calculation is based on number 1 and 2. A range of sub-indices show distribution by commodity.

Producer price

The prices used for the index are actual prices, which means that the prices must include all possible discounts. Therefore list prices do not apply unless the prices never include discounts. A distinction is made between the prices of imported commodities and the prices of commodities for the domestic market.

Imported commodities

Actual transaction prices (in some cases transfer prices) c.i.f. excluding all duties and taxes on the goods as far as possible on the 15th of the month.

Danish commodities for the domestic marked

Actual transaction price (in some cases transfer prices) ex producer excluding VAT and excise duties as far as possible on the 15th of the month.

13 June 2025

Domestic price: The price of domestically produced goods and services, sold to the domestic market.

Export price: The price of domestically produced goods and services, sold to export.

Import price: The price of imported goods and services.

Real transaction price: The price of a good or service actually paid in the market. It represents the actual price paid, inclusive of any discounts, surcharges or rebates, for an individual transaction that can be observed repeatedly

Transfer pricing: The process whereby companies price intra-group transactions to ensure that they are traded on market-like terms. This is done in practice by pricing the transactions so that each part of the group's value chain receives a profit that is within the limits set by the authorities.

The statistical units in the producer and import price index for commodities are companies, where each company is determined by the legal entity. In Statistics Denmark's Statistical Business Register, the legal entities are determined by their VAT number. In some cases, the principle is abandoned. Several companies can be combined into one unit, e.g. if they have centralized administration or in the case of franchises.

The reporting unit for the statistic is the specific enterprise, chosen via. the Statistical Business Register, which also is the observational unit. 

The population covers all commodities that are imported or produced in Denmark for the domestic market for the various industries and commodity groups.

Denmark.

The firms are to report the prices, which were in force on the 15th of the month in so far it is possible.

Prices are collected for approximately 1100 groups of commodities covered by approximately 6800 price series. The samples for each commodity group are selected top-down to achieve as high turnover coverage as possible. Within each of these commodity groups the largest companies, measured on turnover, are selected. Each of those companies are asked to report the prices of their most representative commodities based upon revenue or the amount sold/import within the given commodity group. Therefore, it is assumed that the price developments in the samples expresses the price developments in the whole population.

The weight are based on the National accounts balances for 2019, which is based on multiple in-house primary sources (Purchases and sales by enterprises, Production and turnover in manufacturing industries. Retail Trade and International Trade etc.). This covers most of all the trade in Denmark and it is assessed to been representative of the Danish economy.

Index.

The Producer and import price indices are calculated in a hierarchical system where the first calculation is made for the most detailed group of commodities, i.e. the elementary aggregates. These indices are calculated as geometric Jevons indices. The detailed elementary aggregates are subsequently weighted together for sub-indices and in the end for the total producer and import price indices. These are calculated as arithmetic Laspeyres indices. It is calculated as a Laspeyres type index where the price and weight reference period does not coincide.

Weights: Weights are assigned to every detailed group of commodities and used for weighting the base indices together for sub-indicies and for the total Price index for domestic supply. The weights, which are based on the supply and use tables from national accounts for 2018, are equal to the sum of the import values and production values for the home market excluding VAT and excise duties. This ensures that the sample reflects the population.

Estimates for non-response: Non-response is negligible. If it should happen for any significant goods, imputation techniques are used. In other cases the prices are regarded as unchanged.

The Producer- and import price index for commodities is calculated on the basis of about 6800 prices, reported by selected producers and importers in Denmark. Of these, about 3600 prices are used for calculating the producer price index, about 3200 prices are used for calculating the import price index and about 5200 prices are used for calculating the price index for domestic supply.

The weights are based on national accounts estimates of Danish companies' turnover values.

Monthly.

The statistics are published every month. For a specific month it will be published on the 15th of the following month or the first business day thereafter.

All EU member states are required to produce The Producer and Import Price Index under the guidelines of the Council Regulation (EC) no. 1165/98 concerning short-term statistics. The statistics can be compared internationally on the webpage of Eurostat. Also, outside the European community, The Producer and Import Price Indices are produced.

These statistics have been produced in its current form since 2000, but changes in the year of comparison, the base year and the industry classification have occurred during that period.

  • From 2005 to 2008, 2000=100, weight year is 2000 and industry classification is DB03
  • From 2009 to 2013, 2005=100, weight year is 2005 and industry classification is DB07
  • From 2014 to 2018, 2010=100, weight year is 2010 and industry classification is DB07
  • In 2019, 2005=100, weight year is 2015 and industry classification is DB07
  • In 2020, 2015=100, weight year is 2016 and industry classification is DB07
  • In 2021, 2015=100, weight year is 2017 and industry classification is DB07
  • In 2022, 2015=100, weight year is 2018 and industry classification is DB07
  • In 2023, 2015=100, weight year is 2019 and industry classification is DB07
  • In 2024, 2015=100, weight year is 2019 and industry classification is DB07

To enable comparisons with earlier periods it is, in principle, possible to interlink old and new indices by comparing indices with new and old year of comparison for the same period

When comparing indices over a longer period of time it is important to note that weight changes and the continuous update to the sample interferes with the assumption of a fixed basket of goods, central to price index theory. Though these measures are taken to ensure the index better reflect the current turnover in the Danish economy.

The Price index for domestic supply have been produced in its current form as a monthly index since 1981, but have changed base and weight reference year during the period.

The Price index for domestic supply is also published as a yearly index in the StatBank, PRIS1900. Statistics Denmark have produced different version of the index since 1876, and first published the index in Statistical yearbook 1913 (tabel 61). The index has had different names through the years but became the Price index for domestic supply in 2003. The yearly index published in the StatBank is an index compiled from a series of indices from 1876 and up to today, and these indices have had different methodological changes through the years, which is something to note when using the index.

The Price index for domestic supply has had a number of changes from its inception until now. Immediately below is a structured overview of the changes to base year, weight reference year and commodity groupings: -Period: 1925-1934. Base year: 1913=100. Weight year: 1924. Commodity grouping: 11 Groups. -Period: 1935-1937. Base year: 1931=100. Weight year: 1934. Commodity grouping: 11 Groups. -Period: 1938-1956. Base year: 1935=100. Weight year: 1935. Commodity grouping: 11 Groups. -Period: 1957-1971. Base year: 1955=100. Weight year: 1954. Commodity grouping: SITC. -Period: 1971-1981. Base year: 1968=100. Weight year: 1966. Commodity grouping: BTN. -Period: 1982-1984. Base year: 1975=100. Weight year: 1975. Commodity grouping: CCCN. -Period: 1985-1993. Base year: 1980=100. Weight year: 1980. Commodity grouping: CCCN. -Period: 1994-2002. Base year: 1990=100. Weight year: 1990. Commodity grouping: HS. -Period: 2003-2004. Base year: 2000=100. Weight year: 1998. Commodity grouping: HS. -Period: 2005-2008. Base year: 2000=100. Weight year: 2000. Commodity grouping: HS. -Period: 2009-2013. Base year: 2005=100. Weight year: 2005. Commodity grouping: HS. -Period: 2014-2018. Base year: 2010=100. Weight year: 2010. Commodity grouping: HS. -Period: 2019. Base year: 2015=100. Weight year: 2015. Commodity grouping: HS. -Period: 2020. Base year: 2015=100. Weight year: 2016. Commodity grouping: HS. -Period: 2021. Base year: 2015=100. Weight year: 2017. Commodity grouping: HS. -Period: 2021. Base year: 2015=100. Weight year: 2018. Commodity grouping: HS.

The index was originally calculated on the base of the utilized prices for 38 significant commodities in the valuation calculations in the trade statistic, and further added weight after significance. Through the years the sample have been expanded upon and different methodologies, price definitions etc. have been introduced. Immediately below is an overview of these changes, but if you want to know more you can find a more detailed overview in a document on our subject page in the near future.

Overview of changes through the years: -1913: The index was published for the first time in Statistisk årbog 1913 for the years 1876, 1881, 1886, 1900, 1901, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911 and 1912. -1914: The total index series from 1876-1913 is published for the first time in the Statistisk årbog 1914. As base year for the index the average of 1891-1900 is set to 100. -1925: The department of Statistics reorganizes the statistic from a yearly to a monthly index. -1936: Increased price information and new groupings. -1957: The statistic changes name from The wholesale price number to The wholesale Price index, roughly translated from Danish. An English version of the index was not published at the time. -1963: The price definition changes from whole sale prices to producer prices. -1982: The raw material price index is included independently in the import table. -1985: New price information and weights. Price reference and base year are changed to 1980=100. -1994: The weights and price information are revised. Base year is changed to 1990=100 and the utilized nomenclature is changed to HS (Harmonized System). -2001: The data of price collection is change from the 25th to the 15th in the given month. -2003: The calculation methodology changes from a simple arithmetic average to a geometric average and the price definition is changed to transaction prices. The index changes name to The price index for domestic supply. -2004: The price definition for import prices is changed from sales price to purchase price. -2013: The overall statistic has a name change to The Producer- and Import price index for commodities. The price index for domestic supply continues to be produced under this new overall name for the statistic. The raw material price index is discontinued.

A lot of these cases constitute a structural break in the data. Furthermore, there a changes to nomenclatures, weights, the basket of goods, groupings, and collection methods. It is important to note all of these when utilizing the yearly Price index for domestic supply that is compiled by historical indices.