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Impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Consumer Price Index data for March 2021

This page provides further information on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic for the March 2021 Consumer Price Index news release.

Collection mode

Data collection for March 2021 involved no personal visits, so all data were collected either online or through telephone interviews. An example of this is full-service restaurants; even if a restaurant was open for dine-in service, as well as open for take-out or delivery, the data collector attempted to obtain the price from the restaurant’s website or by telephone call with the respondent, rather than a personal visit.

Table 1. Collection modes for the commodities and services price survey, percent
Month 2019 2020 2021
Personal visit Telephone Online Personal visit Telephone Online Personal visit Telephone Online

January

73 10 17 72 9 19 0 16 84

February

72 11 17 72 10 18 0 16 84

March

74 10 16 44 14 42 0 16 84

April

74 10 16 0 18 82      

May

74 10 16 0 17 83      

June

73 10 17 0 17 83      

July

74 10 16 0 17 83      

August

73 10 17 0 17 83      

September

73 10 17 0 17 83      

October

73 10 17 0 16 84      

November

73 9 18 0 16 84      

December

72 10 18 0 16 84      

Average, Feb 2019–Feb 2020

73 10 17            
Table 2. Collection modes for the housing survey, percent
Month 2019 2020 2021
Personal visit Telephone Personal visit Telephone Personal visit Telephone

January

35 65 39 61 0 100

February

36 64 40 60 0 100

March

36 64 30 70 0 100

April

38 62 0 100    

May

39 61 0 100    

June

38 62 0 100    

July

37 63 0 100    

August

37 63 0 100    

September

38 62 0 100    

October

39 61 0 100    

November

38 62 0 100    

December

39 61 0 100    

Average, Feb 2019–Feb 2020

38 62        

Response rates

For some CPI market basket categories, the percentage of the sample collected in March 2021 was notably lower than the average before the pandemic. These included food from vending machines and mobile vendors, leased cars and trucks, fuel oil, and admissions. There was a lower percentage of collected rents in March 2021 compared with March 2020.

Table 3. Response rates for the commodities and services price survey, percent
Month 2019 2020 2021
Collected prices Uncollected prices Collected prices Uncollected prices Collected prices Uncollected prices

January

85 15 86 14 77 23

February

85 15 87 13 79 21

March

87 13 76 25 78 22

April

86 14 65 35    

May

87 13 68 32    

June

86 14 70 30    

July

86 14 70 30    

August

86 14 72 28    

September

86 14 73 27    

October

86 14 74 26    

November

87 13 75 25    

December

86 14 77 23    

Average, Feb 2019–Feb 2020

86 14        
Table 4. Response rates for the housing survey, percent
Month 2019 2020 2021
Collected rents Vacant units Uncollected rents Collected rents Vacant units Uncollected rents Collected rents Vacant units Uncollected rents

January

68 6 26 70 5 25 58 4 38

February

67 5 28 69 6 25 61 4 35

March

67 6 27 63 5 32 62 4 34

April

68 6 26 61 4 35      

May

69 6 25 61 4 35      

June

68 6 26 62 4 34      

July

69 6 25 60 4 36      

August

67 6 27 62 4 34      

September

65 6 29 60 4 36      

October

69 5 26 59 4 37      

November

69 6 25 60 4 36      

December

67 6 27 62 4 34      

Average, Feb 2019–Feb 2020

68 6 26            

Imputation

In March 2021, the CPI continued to impute the majority of uncollected prices from collected prices within the same item and geographic area (home cell). There were no instances where the data from the previous month were imputed to the current month (carry forward).

Table 5. Imputation source for the commodities and services price survey, percent
Month 2019 2020 2021
Home cell Different cell Carry forward Home cell Different cell Carry forward Home cell Different cell Carry forward

January

93 7 0 92 8 0 89 11 0

February

91 9 0 93 7 0 88 12 0

March

94 6 0 90 10 0 88 12 0

April

92 8 0 84 16 0      

May

92 8 0 85 15 0      

June

92 8 0 86 14 0      

July

92 8 0 86 14 0      

August

91 9 0 86 14 0      

September

93 7 0 87 13 0      

October

91 9 0 88 12 0      

November

93 7 0 89 11 0      

December

92 8 0 88 12 0      

Nonvacant units with respondents previously reporting, but not currently reporting, receive noninterview imputation for use in the CPI. Vacant units that were previously occupied by renters are also imputed for use in estimation by separate methods. Table 6 below shows a reduction in vacancy imputation performed in the current month relative to the same time in 2019.

Table 6. Imputation source for the housing survey, percent
Month 2019 2020 2021
Noninterview Vacancy Noninterview Vacancy Noninterview Vacancy

January

81 19 82 18 91 9

February

84 16 81 19 89 11

March

82 18 87 13 89 11

April

82 18 90 10    

May

82 18 91 9    

June

81 19 89 11    

July

81 19 89 11    

August

83 17 91 9    

September

83 17 90 10    

October

83 17 90 10    

November

82 18 90 10    

December

82 18 90 10    

Cell, series, index, or observation suppression

Table 7 lists the data series that were both inadequate for publication in March 2021 because of insufficient sample and that were adequate over the year before March 2020.

Table 7. List of data inadequate for publication for March 2021
LABSTAT ID Item Area

CPI-U Series

CUUR0000SETA03

Leased cars and trucks U.S. city average

CUUR0000SS16014

Peanut butter U.S. city average

CUURS35DSAGC

Other goods Tampa, FL

CPI-W Series

CWUR0000SETA03

Leased cars and trucks U.S. city average

CWUR0480SAEC

Education and communication commodities Mountain

C-CPI-U Series

No series were inadequate for publication.

AP Series

APU0000706311

Turkey, frozen, whole, per lb. (453.6 gm) U.S. city average

APU0000711411

Grapefruit, per lb. (453.6 gm) U.S. city average

APU0000711412

Lemons, per lb. (453.6 gm) U.S. city average

APU0000712211

Lettuce, iceberg, per lb. (453.6 gm) U.S. city average

APU0000712406

Peppers, sweet, per lb. (453.6 gm) U.S. city average

APU0000712412

Broccoli, per lb. (453.6 gm) U.S. city average

APU0000FL2101

Lettuce, romaine, per lb. (453.6 gm) U.S. city average

APU0100711211

Bananas, per lb. (453.6 gm) Northeast urban

APU0100711311

Oranges, Navel, per lb. (453.6 gm) Northeast urban

APU0100711411

Grapefruit, per lb. (453.6 gm) Northeast urban

APU0100711412

Lemons, per lb. (453.6 gm) Northeast urban

APU0100711415

Strawberries, dry pint, per 12 oz. (340.2 gm) Northeast urban

APU0100FJ1101

Milk, low-fat, reduced fat, skim, gallon container Northeast urban

APU0200702212

Bread, whole wheat, pan, per lb. (453.6 gm) Midwest urban

APU0200709112

Milk, fresh, whole, fortified, per gal. (3.8 lit) Midwest urban

APU0200711411

Grapefruit, per lb. (453.6 gm) Midwest urban

APU0200711412

Lemons, per lb. (453.6 gm) Midwest urban

APU0300701111

Flour, white, all purpose, per lb. (453.6 gm) South urban

APU0300702212

Bread, whole wheat, pan, per lb. (453.6 gm) South urban

APU0300702421

Cookies, chocolate chip, per lb. (453.6 gm) South urban

APU0300705121

Bologna, all beef or mixed, per lb. (453.6 gm) South urban

APU0300711311

Oranges, Navel, per lb. (453.6 gm) South urban

APU0300711411

Grapefruit, per lb. (453.6 gm) South urban

APU0300711412

Lemons, per lb. (453.6 gm) South urban

APU0300711415

Strawberries, dry pint, per 12 oz. (340.2 gm) South urban

APU0300711417

Grapes, Thompson Seedless, per lb. (453.6 gm) South urban

APU0300712211

Lettuce, iceberg, per lb. (453.6 gm) South urban

APU0300716116

Margarine, soft, tubs, per lb. (453.6 gm) South urban

APU0300720311

Wine, red and white table, all sizes, any origin, per 1 liter (33.8 oz) South urban

APU0300FL2101

Lettuce, romaine, per lb. (453.6 gm) South urban

APU0400702212

Bread, whole wheat, pan, per lb. (453.6 gm) West urban

APU0400705111

Frankfurters, all meat or all beef, per lb. (453.6 gm) West urban

APU0400711411

Grapefruit, per lb. (453.6 gm) West urban

APU0400711412

Lemons, per lb. (453.6 gm) West urban

APU0400711415

Strawberries, dry pint, per 12 oz. (340.2 gm) West urban

APU0400714233

Beans, dried, any type, all sizes, per lb. (453.6 gm) West urban

APU0400FL2101

Lettuce, romaine, per lb. (453.6 gm) West urban

Measures of error

The standard error of the CPI’s change can be used to construct confidence intervals to determine whether the change for a particular CPI series is significantly different from zero. Table 8 shows the 1- and 12-month standard error for selected indexes at the U.S. level.

Table 8. Impact on standard errors of one- and twelve-month percent changes
Item One month Twelve month
Mar 2019 Mar 2020 Mar 2021 Mar 2019 Mar 2020 Mar 2021

All items

0.04 0.04 0.03 0.07 0.09 0.10

Food and beverages

0.06 0.09 0.09 0.12 0.14 0.23

Food

0.07 0.10 0.10 0.12 0.16 0.22

Housing

0.05 0.04 0.05 0.11 0.13 0.10

Apparel

0.52 0.41 0.48 0.68 0.85 0.77

Transportation

0.09 0.14 0.14 0.15 0.23 0.31

Medical care

0.25 0.07 0.10 0.39 0.54 0.28

Recreation

0.16 0.14 0.13 0.46 0.32 0.34

Education and communication

0.05 0.07 0.07 0.21 0.32 0.25

Other goods and services

0.12 0.10 0.15 0.28 0.38 0.29

Energy

0.16 0.18 0.17 0.39 0.29 0.36

All items less food and energy

0.04 0.03 0.04 0.08 0.12 0.10

Last Modified Date: April 13, 2021