Source: MIL-OSI Submissions
Impacts of COVID-19 on methodology for the September 2020 quarter CPI
9 October 2020
COVID-19 has created some unprecedented data collection and methodological challenges for the CPI. In the September 2020 quarter, in-person collection of data from stores ceased for one month (from mid-August until mid-September). This compares with just over two months for the June 2020 quarter. Contacting business respondents was more difficult under lockdown conditions.
We have published a summary of the impacts of COVID-19 on the methodology used for the September 2020 quarter consumers price index (CPI). We focus on collection issues, imputation to replace missing prices, rent prices, and reweighting the CPI basket to reflect changing household spending patterns in New Zealand. See Impacts of COVID-19 on methodology for the September 2020 quarter CPI.
Consumers price index: September 2020 quarter and the 2020 CPI review technical paper will be published on 23 October 2020. Tables with updated weights, following the 2020 review of the CPI, will be released on Wednesday 21 October 2020. This is to give technical customers time to update their models prior to the release of the September 2020 quarter CPI.
Visit our website to read this paper:
