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Consumer Price Index
Bureau of Labor Statistics > Consumer Price Index > Data > Research

R-CPI-U-L Homepage

R-CPI-U-G and R-CPI-U-L to be discontinued

The R-CPI-U-G and R-CPI-U-L, which have been available on request, will be discontinued with the release of June 2024 CPI data on July 11, 2024.

Background

Since 1999, the CPI has used two different formulas in computing basic indexes. A geometric means formula is used for most items, reflecting that consumers may substitute within CPI categories as relative prices change. However, for some goods and services, such substitution isn't realistic. For these, a Laspeyres formula is still used. The R-CPI-U-L differs from the official CPI-U in that a Laspeyres formula is used for all categories; this corresponds to the pre-1999 methodology of the CPI. Comparing the CPI-U and R-CPI-U-L allows for estimation of the impact of consumer substitution at the lower level (within CPI item categories).

In conjunction with the R-CPI-U-G, the R-CPI-U-L is used by researchers to understand consumer substitution and the impact of the geometric means formula.

Limitations

The R-CPI-U-L data are unofficial and designed for research purposes.

Available data

Monthly R-CPI-U-L data are available from 1999 forward for all published CPI-U series in Excel or SAS output.

Related articles

Additional information is available in the CPI research series using current methods, 1978-98 Monthly Labor Review article.

Last Modified Date: April 15, 2024