Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
The Import Price Index measures the development of prices for goods imported into Sweden, i.e. goods purchased from foreign suppliers (first stage of purchase).
Together with the Producer Price Index for domestic sales, the Import Price Index is used to compile the Price Index for Domestic Supply (ITPI).
The indices are primarily designed for deflation purposes, enabling the calculation of production and foreign trade values at constant prices. They are also used in the compilation of the Industrial Production Index, the Index of Services Production, and the Production Value Index. Additional uses include general economic and inflation analysis, as well as indexation of business contracts.
3.2. Classification system
The classification system used is SPIN 2015, which is the Swedish version of CPA 2.1.
3.3. Coverage - sector
The sector coverage includes products classified according to CPA 2.1 (SPIN 2015), corresponding to Sections B to D, excluding Division 09.
Reporting units are selected among importers within the respective product groups. Weights are calculated to reflect the total value of imports.
A cut-off threshold of SEK 10 million per reporting unit is applied. This implies that approximately 10% of the total population, in terms of value, is excluded prior to sample selection.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Prices are measured at basic prices, i.e. c.i.f. (cost, insurance and freight) for import prices. Prices should, in principle, be transaction prices, net of discounts, for specified items invoiced during the reference month. However, prices based on contractual arrangements as well as list prices adjusted for rebates may also be accepted. VAT and excise duties are excluded.
No changes in data collection are currently planned.
Prices are reported as average monthly prices for defined typical transactions. In certain cases, other pricing concepts than monthly averages may be accepted where they are considered representative.
3.5. Statistical unit
The observation units consist of individual transactions associated with a given product offer on the import market. A product offer is defined as a specific combination of an enterprise and a product to be priced.
The reporting units are business entities importing goods into Sweden from other countries and reporting these transactions to Intrastat or Extrastat.
Households are not included in the population.
3.6. Statistical population
The target population comprises all transactions related to purchases on the import market for products classified in Sections B to D according to CPA 2.1.
The frame population is based on data from other surveys at Statistics Sweden, including the Production of Commodities and Industrial Services (PRODCOM), Structural Business Statistics (SBS), and Foreign Trade in Goods (FTG). At the time of sample selection, the sampling frame is based on data from the most recent reference year with complete coverage.
3.7. Reference area
The geographical coverage is limited to the national level (Sweden).
3.8. Coverage - Time
Historical index series are available from 1968 onwards. Full time series consistent with the current classification, SPIN 2015 (CPA 2.1), are available from 1990.
3.9. Base period
The index is referenced to 2021 (=100). For each year, December of the previous year is used as the base period. Annual indices are constructed using a chain-linking approach.
The unit of measure is index numbers.
The reference period is the calendar month. Prices are reported as average prices for the reference month.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 on European business statistics, repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics.
Commission implementing Regulation 2020/1197
Official Statistics Act of 2001 (Lagen (2001:99) om den officiella statistiken) supplemented by a regulation on Official Statistics (Förordningen (2001:100) om den officiella statistiken). Under the ordinance Statistics Sweden issues specific directions (Statistiska centralbyråns föreskrifter (SCB FS 2021:39) om uppgifter till statistik avseende prisindex i producent- och importled, varor).
Reporting units are obliged to provide information. Non-respondents may be fined.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
ECB
OECD
Eurostat
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The law on confidentiality (Offentlighets och sekretesslagen (2009:400)) is applied. Statistics Sweden’s CBM on Statistical confidentiality is available in “Statistisk röjandekontroll”, Statistics Sweden, September 2001. The publication may be obtained from SCB, Publikationstjänsten, S-701 89 Örebro (E-mail:publ@scb.se). Current practices do not follow the CBM but are similar.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Confidential data are suppressed in accordance with statistical confidentiality requirements. Indices are published only when at least three reporting units are represented. In addition, no single unit may account for more than 60% of the total turnover, and no two units combined may account for more than 90%.
8.1. Release calendar
The release calendar is published annually on the website in November and covers the following calendar year.
8.2. Release calendar access
The release calendar is available on the website (see link below).
Data are disseminated simultaneously to all users via electronic means. No privileged access is granted to public authorities or other users outside the national statistical office. Following the national release, data are transmitted to Eurostat without delay.
Data are disseminated on a monthly basis.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Data are disseminated through a news release and accompanying tables available on the website (see link below). The news release covers the Import Price Index, the Home Market Price Index, the Export Price Index, and the Producer Price Index (PPI).
The indicators are disseminated on Statistics Sweden’s website. Data are available via the Statistical Database and in Statistical News (see link below).
In the English version of the website, the data can be accessed via: Finding statistics → Prices and economic trends → Price statistics → Producer and import price index.
Access to microdata is restricted to research purposes only.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Data are transmitted to Eurostat for dissemination as national data.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Methodological documentation is available on the website under About the statistics and Documentation (English), and under Om statistiken and Dokumentation (Swedish) (see link below).
The methods applied are largely based on the Producer Price Index Manual published by the IMF.
Various aspects of quality are systematically monitored and enhanced through annual action plans. Regular quantitative quality indicators are limited; however, the response rate is consistently monitored.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
The main sources of uncertainty are related to model assumptions and measurement errors, which are assessed as the largest contributors to overall uncertainty. Sampling, i.e. the use of a sample instead of a full census, represents an additional source of uncertainty. While sampling uncertainty can be quantified, other sources of uncertainty are generally not quantified.
Data are published approximately 25 days after the end of the reference period.
Missing observations (item non-response, typically around 4–6%) are imputed using the average price development of similar products.
The use of internationally recognised standards supports geographical comparability.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The main users are the national accounts, where the indices are used for deflation purposes. Eurostat uses the indices as part of the national data reporting. Companies use the indices for the indexation of long-term contracts. Economic analysts use the indices for forecasting the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No formal measurement of user satisfaction is conducted. However, user feedback is taken into account in the production and development of the statistics.
12.3. Completeness
The requirements of the Short-Term Statistics (STS) Regulation and national user needs are fulfilled.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
No significant bias is identified in the data; however, a degree of uncertainty remains. The main sources of uncertainty are related to measurement and model assumptions. Measurement errors are assessed as the largest contributor to overall uncertainty, followed by model assumptions. Sampling represents a non-negligible source of uncertainty, while non-response contributes a minor level of uncertainty. Coverage and data processing are considered to have a limited impact.
Further details on sampling and non-sampling errors are provided in the following sections.
13.2. Sampling error
A probability sampling design based on probability proportional to size (PPS) is applied, where the largest units are selected with certainty. Approximately 2,100 price observations are collected monthly from around 1,200 enterprises.
If an enterprise is considered covered when at least one observation is collected within a stratum, the coverage rate is estimated at approximately 65%.
A cut-off threshold of SEK 10 million per frame element is applied within each stratum. This implies that approximately 10% of the total population, in terms of turnover, is excluded prior to sampling.
Smaller enterprises are assumed to be price takers, meaning that their price development is assumed to follow that of the sampled units within each stratum.
Sampling variances and standard errors are calculated and primarily used for sample allocation purposes.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Non-sampling errors arise from several sources, including coverage, non-response, measurement, data processing, and model assumptions.
Coverage error: The sampling frames are updated with a two-year lag, which implies the presence of both over-coverage and under-coverage.
Response and non-response error: Almost all respondents report data via Statistics Sweden’s standard web-based collection system, resulting in a high overall response rate. The weighted non-response rate is typically around 5–6%. Missing observations are imputed using the average price change of similar products.
Measurement error: Measurement and quality adjustment are complex processes and are considered an important source of uncertainty. Changes in product specifications occur in approximately 1–3% of observations in a typical month.
Data processing error: Errors related to data editing, coding, and processing are considered limited.
Model error: Model-based pricing is used only to a very limited extent and is therefore considered to have a negligible impact on overall uncertainty.
14.1. Timeliness
Data are released at 08:00 in accordance with a pre-announced release calendar, typically around the 25th day of the month following the reference month.
The data collection and production process follows a standard monthly schedule:
Questionnaires are sent at the end of the reference month to reach respondents on the first working day after the end of the reference period.
The deadline for responses is around the 10th day of the month following the reference month.
A first reminder is sent around the 11th day, and a second reminder may be sent around the 17th day.
The survey is typically closed around the 21st day of the month following the reference month.
Data are published around the 25th day of the month following the reference month.
14.2. Punctuality
Data are released in accordance with the pre-announced release calendar.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Harmonised definitions in accordance with the European Business Statistics (EBS) framework are applied consistently across the entire country, ensuring full geographical comparability.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Chain-linking is applied, allowing changes in the base year without introducing breaks in the time series.
When new or revised classifications are implemented, back-casting is carried out to maintain consistency and ensure comparability over time.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Coherence with related statistical domains is ensured through the use of consistent definitions and populations. The population of importers is based on the Foreign Trade in Goods (FTG) statistics, covering both Intrastat and Extrastat systems.
Imports are defined as the physical cross-border movement of goods, rather than according to the change of ownership principle.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Internal coherence is ensured through a consistent aggregation structure. Indices are compiled by aggregating from the lowest level to higher levels, using weights that are consistent and summable across all levels of aggregation. This ensures coherence throughout the index structure.
Chain-linking is applied at all levels of aggregation.
The respondent burden is estimated at approximately 17 minutes per respondent per month. With around 1,200 respondents, this corresponds to a total burden of approximately 340 hours per month.
The production cost for Statistics Sweden is estimated at approximately 900 working hours per month, including data collection, validation, processing, and dissemination.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Revisions are carried out only when a substantial difference is identified. A substantial difference is defined as a change exceeding 0.1 index points in the overall index.
In the case of errors identified by Statistics Sweden, revised data are disseminated and communicated to users. When incorrect data are submitted by respondents, corrections are incorporated in the production process, and subsequent releases are adjusted to reflect improved estimates without revising previously published data.
The same revision policy is applied to Short-Term Statistics (STS) data disseminated nationally and transmitted to Eurostat.
17.2. Data revision - practice
The first release is considered final. Therefore revisions should not appear. Major methodological changes are announced in advance.
No revision for the year 2025, MAR/MR=0
18.1. Source data
Source data are collected through a statistical survey.
The sampling frame and weighting structure are based on the Foreign Trade in Goods statistics (Intrastat and Extrastat).
The survey covers the import market. A frame element is defined as a combination of a CN 8-digit product category and an importer. The sample is selected using a two-stage process:
Frame elements are selected within each stratum;
Within selected enterprises, specific representative items are defined in cooperation with respondents.
Frame elements are stratified according to SPIN 2015. A size criterion is applied to identify the most important units in terms of value. In the second stage, respondents are asked to specify “typical transactions” and report the price of a specific item within such transactions. Where possible, the specification allows for consistent monthly price reporting for the selected item.
All SPIN 2015 5-digit product groups with a value above approximately EUR 45 million are included in the sample. The current sample comprises approximately 1,200 enterprises reporting around 2,100 items.
For probability sampling, a probability proportional to size (PPS) method is applied.
The sample is renewed over a five-year cycle, with approximately one-fifth replaced each year. The purpose of this rotation is to ensure that representative products are measured and that the response burden is distributed as evenly as possible.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Data are collected on a monthly basis.
18.3. Data collection
Data are collected for the Import Price Index.
No changes were made to the questionnaires in 2025. Adjustments to the questionnaires are planned for the coming years, in line with updated internal policies at Statistics Sweden, particularly regarding the validation process.
18.4. Data validation
Data are validated continuously throughout the production process. Price changes exceeding ±10% compared with the previous month are systematically reviewed. In addition, observations with a large impact on the overall Import Price Index are subject to validation.
18.5. Data compilation
For non-response and non-transactions the price of the previous month is imputed by the average price change of similiar products.
Grossing-up is treated within the weighting procedure.
The monthly index numbers are chain indices calculated from index links (base December previous year). The weights used to calculate the current aggregate index links are revised in January each year in order to reflect a recent (year y-2) composition of output/import (at December y-1 prices). The index links are weighted averages of price ratios, calculated from prices collected for a sample of items. The producer/importer and a specification define an item. The sample of items is revised in January each year. For changes in the specification the December (base month) price is adjusted in order to account for an estimated value of the quality change. Various methods are used for this estimation. When an item is discontinued the price change will be according to a similar item, the average price change of the remaining items in the category or the relative change of a similar category.
The weights are derived from external trade statistics (EXTRASTAT and INTRASTAT). For products within sections A, D complementary sources are used.
18.6. Adjustment
Prices quoted in currencies other than the national currency (SEK) are converted into SEK using the monthly average exchange rates published by Sveriges Riksbank (the central bank of Sweden) for the reference period.
Sub-indices are compiled in accordance with the European Business Statistics (EBS) Regulation, including sub-indices within the SPIN 2015 classification.
Data are not seasonally adjusted.
No additional comments are available.
The Import Price Index measures the development of prices for goods imported into Sweden, i.e. goods purchased from foreign suppliers (first stage of purchase).
Together with the Producer Price Index for domestic sales, the Import Price Index is used to compile the Price Index for Domestic Supply (ITPI).
The indices are primarily designed for deflation purposes, enabling the calculation of production and foreign trade values at constant prices. They are also used in the compilation of the Industrial Production Index, the Index of Services Production, and the Production Value Index. Additional uses include general economic and inflation analysis, as well as indexation of business contracts.
25 February 2026
Prices are measured at basic prices, i.e. c.i.f. (cost, insurance and freight) for import prices. Prices should, in principle, be transaction prices, net of discounts, for specified items invoiced during the reference month. However, prices based on contractual arrangements as well as list prices adjusted for rebates may also be accepted. VAT and excise duties are excluded.
No changes in data collection are currently planned.
Prices are reported as average monthly prices for defined typical transactions. In certain cases, other pricing concepts than monthly averages may be accepted where they are considered representative.
The observation units consist of individual transactions associated with a given product offer on the import market. A product offer is defined as a specific combination of an enterprise and a product to be priced.
The reporting units are business entities importing goods into Sweden from other countries and reporting these transactions to Intrastat or Extrastat.
Households are not included in the population.
The target population comprises all transactions related to purchases on the import market for products classified in Sections B to D according to CPA 2.1.
The frame population is based on data from other surveys at Statistics Sweden, including the Production of Commodities and Industrial Services (PRODCOM), Structural Business Statistics (SBS), and Foreign Trade in Goods (FTG). At the time of sample selection, the sampling frame is based on data from the most recent reference year with complete coverage.
The geographical coverage is limited to the national level (Sweden).
The reference period is the calendar month. Prices are reported as average prices for the reference month.
No significant bias is identified in the data; however, a degree of uncertainty remains. The main sources of uncertainty are related to measurement and model assumptions. Measurement errors are assessed as the largest contributor to overall uncertainty, followed by model assumptions. Sampling represents a non-negligible source of uncertainty, while non-response contributes a minor level of uncertainty. Coverage and data processing are considered to have a limited impact.
Further details on sampling and non-sampling errors are provided in the following sections.
The unit of measure is index numbers.
For non-response and non-transactions the price of the previous month is imputed by the average price change of similiar products.
Grossing-up is treated within the weighting procedure.
The monthly index numbers are chain indices calculated from index links (base December previous year). The weights used to calculate the current aggregate index links are revised in January each year in order to reflect a recent (year y-2) composition of output/import (at December y-1 prices). The index links are weighted averages of price ratios, calculated from prices collected for a sample of items. The producer/importer and a specification define an item. The sample of items is revised in January each year. For changes in the specification the December (base month) price is adjusted in order to account for an estimated value of the quality change. Various methods are used for this estimation. When an item is discontinued the price change will be according to a similar item, the average price change of the remaining items in the category or the relative change of a similar category.
The weights are derived from external trade statistics (EXTRASTAT and INTRASTAT). For products within sections A, D complementary sources are used.
Source data are collected through a statistical survey.
The sampling frame and weighting structure are based on the Foreign Trade in Goods statistics (Intrastat and Extrastat).
The survey covers the import market. A frame element is defined as a combination of a CN 8-digit product category and an importer. The sample is selected using a two-stage process:
Frame elements are selected within each stratum;
Within selected enterprises, specific representative items are defined in cooperation with respondents.
Frame elements are stratified according to SPIN 2015. A size criterion is applied to identify the most important units in terms of value. In the second stage, respondents are asked to specify “typical transactions” and report the price of a specific item within such transactions. Where possible, the specification allows for consistent monthly price reporting for the selected item.
All SPIN 2015 5-digit product groups with a value above approximately EUR 45 million are included in the sample. The current sample comprises approximately 1,200 enterprises reporting around 2,100 items.
For probability sampling, a probability proportional to size (PPS) method is applied.
The sample is renewed over a five-year cycle, with approximately one-fifth replaced each year. The purpose of this rotation is to ensure that representative products are measured and that the response burden is distributed as evenly as possible.
Data are disseminated on a monthly basis.
Data are released at 08:00 in accordance with a pre-announced release calendar, typically around the 25th day of the month following the reference month.
The data collection and production process follows a standard monthly schedule:
Questionnaires are sent at the end of the reference month to reach respondents on the first working day after the end of the reference period.
The deadline for responses is around the 10th day of the month following the reference month.
A first reminder is sent around the 11th day, and a second reminder may be sent around the 17th day.
The survey is typically closed around the 21st day of the month following the reference month.
Data are published around the 25th day of the month following the reference month.
Harmonised definitions in accordance with the European Business Statistics (EBS) framework are applied consistently across the entire country, ensuring full geographical comparability.
Chain-linking is applied, allowing changes in the base year without introducing breaks in the time series.
When new or revised classifications are implemented, back-casting is carried out to maintain consistency and ensure comparability over time.
