With shopping cart prices continuing high, the rate of increase in consumer price trends of the National Statistical Office is relatively low compared to other surveys, attracting attention.
This can be explained by the difference in the timing and method of the survey, and some point out that the consumer price trend of Statistics Korea does not properly reflect the perceived price of the common people.
According to the National Statistical Office today (8th), the price of eggs in January rose 15.2% from a year ago.
However, according to the Korea Agricultural and Fishery Food Distribution Corporation (aT), the price of eggs (based on a special egg plate, consumer selling price) for one month in January rose 22.4% from a year ago.
This is 7.2 percentage points higher than the National Statistical Office survey.
The difference is also evident in other items.
In the case of onion prices last month, the consumer price trend of the National Statistical Office increased 60.3% from a year ago, but the aT survey showed that it rose 73.9%.
In the Consumer Price Trend of the National Statistical Office, the price of apology rose 45.5% last month from a year ago, while the aT survey increased 58.6%.
In addition, 11 of the 18 representative shopping cart price items, including red pepper powder, pork, tomato, and chicken, had a higher rate of increase in aT prices than the National Statistical Office.
This is presumed to be due to the different timing of the survey between the National Statistical Office survey and the aT survey.
The Consumer Price Index of the National Statistical Office collects price data by surveying 25,000 retail stores, including department stores, hypermarkets, and traditional markets, selected as samples in 38 cities across the country once a month by survey staff.
In particular, for agricultural, livestock, and fishery products with severe price fluctuations, prices are surveyed three times a month and the average price is used, and the last three surveys are generally conducted on the 20th to 25th.
If agricultural, livestock, and fishery prices increase intensively at the end of the month, this part is not reflected in the index.
On the other hand, aT has the characteristic of reflecting the price more immediately because it calculates price information by examining the price every day, excluding weekends and holidays.
In particular, since the price of shopping carts surged in late last month, it is interpreted that the aT price increase rate exceeded the National Statistical Office.
In fact, according to aT, the rate of increase in egg prices as of the end of January reached 30.2%.
An official from the National Statistical Office said, "It is difficult to pinpoint the exact reason, but we are aware that there is a difference in the rate of price increase between surveys."
This official explained, "As of the end of January, prices for agricultural and livestock products were investigated and closed on the 20th of last month, but there may have been a difference because there is a (time) interval between the announcement of the consumer price trend for January 2nd." I did.
There is also a difference in the calculation method.
aT simply averages the survey prices to calculate price information, but the National Statistical Office averages the survey prices and then converts it into an index with 2015 as 100 and announces the price trend.
In addition, the National Statistical Office calculates the living price index, focusing on items with high purchasing frequency to reflect the consumer's perceived price.
However, last month, the living price index rose only 0.3% from a year ago, showing a lower growth rate than the consumer price index (0.6%).
An official from the National Statistical Office explained, "A lot of the items in the living price index, like high school payments, were included, and the contribution of these items was also high."
However, it is difficult for citizens who are experiencing high shopping cart prices in the market right away to understand.
(Photo = Yonhap News)