A Guide to the Integration of Consumer Price Index (CPI) and International Comparison Program (ICP) Production Activities

While the target audience of this guide is primarily producers of official statistics, particularly price statisticians, it also provides all users of official statistics with a good understanding of CPIs and the ICP including their differences and similarities. Price statisticians in developing countries where dedicated resources for the sustained collection of ICP data are scarce, if not readily available, can benefit most from this guide. The guide identifies potential points of the CPI survey process where ICP activities can be inserted and also illustrates how the ICP requirements for item identification and price collection can be satisfied by improving and standardising the description of CPI specifications. The guide draws on the new CPI Manual: Concepts and Methods (IMF et al, 2020).