New weights for CPI would see a shift from commodities to services, Statistics SA said on Tuesday.

Earlier, it announced new weights for the structure of CPI data, following re-basing.

The share of services in the previous weights of 2000 was 38.1 percent while in the new weights set, services would account for 43.7 percent of total consumer expenditure, Stats SA said.

The most important changes have taken place in the food, transport and miscellaneous categories.

The food weight now drops from 26.6 percent to 20.2 percent — this includes restaurants in both figures.

The weight for transport increases from 12.98 percent to 17.79 percent and specifically, the weight for the purchase of motor vehicles has risen from 4.81 percent to 10.23 percent.

Stats SA said the weight for insurance had increased significantly.

Insurance expenditure includes property and vehicle insurance as well as medical aid contributions.

Insurance as a proportion of the total rose from 1.81 percent to 7.21 percent.

Medical aid contributions and other health insurance have increased from a previous weight of 1.33 percent to 3.37 percent.

Health had seen a significant drop in weights, Stats SA said.

The health weights now include only expenditure actually incurred by households and not expenditure incurred by employers or medical aid schemes on behalf of households.

Sapa