Why is that? To offset the 7% inflation, strictly speaking, gross wages would only need to increase by 7%. (Tax class and progression aside for now)
I will respond to that with a quote from destatis
The consumer price index measures monthly the average price development of all goods and services that private households in Germany purchase for consumption purposes. The change of the consumer price index compared to the same month of the previous year or to the previous year is referred to as the rate of increase in prices or as the inflation rate.
When calculating the consumer price index or the inflation rate, we use a "basket of goods" which includes 650 types of goods and represents all goods and services purchased by private households in Germany.
Households consume from net wages, not gross wages.
The ratio of 14% to 7% from my example will look different for everyone, that's true. But 7% inflation is by no means compensated for by a 7% increase in gross wages.
The effect also exists on the side of the inflation rate. Our household only feels inflation when buying groceries. Energy costs do not concern us much since we consume hardly anything. Gasoline at most one tankful per month, and electricity is secured by ongoing supply contracts (until late autumn this year).
Our housing costs are also fixed thanks to homeownership; there are no rent increases here.