The aim of the international price comparison is to produce country-specific purchasing power parities. Purchasing power parity is an exchange rate by which the prices of commodity baskets in two countries are made equal in a common currency.

The data collection is based on Regulation (EC) No 1445/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Prices for machinery and equipment are collected every two years for the price comparison of investment commodities. The next collection of price data for this group will take place in 2025.

Prices are collected from retailers, importers and manufacturers depending on the product that is being priced. In many cases the respondents are importers and manufacturers
regardless of where in Finland they are located. The prices are collected by assistant statisticians working for Statistics Finland mainly by telephone and email or from the internet.

Approximately 200 prices are collected in the collection of price data for machinery and equipment.

The obligation to provide data is based on the Statistics Act (280/2004).