Food Prices Rise in February

Food Prices Rise in February

Food prices rose 0.4 percent in February 2004, according to the latest figures released by Statistics New Zealand. Price increases were recorded for fruit and vegetables; and restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food. These increases were partly offset by lower prices for meat, fish and poultry. Grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery prices remained unchanged. Prices for fruit and vegetables rose by 4.2 percent in February 2004. The most significant upward contribution came from higher fresh vegetable prices (up 8.3 percent). Significant individual contributions came from higher prices for broccoli (up 59.5 percent) and apples (up 16.0 percent).

Restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food prices increased by 0.2 percent in February 2004. Prices for restaurant meals rose 0.3 percent and ready-to-eat food prices rose 0.2 percent. Grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery prices were unchanged in February 2004. The most significant upward contributions came from higher prices for soft drinks (up 6.5 percent) and fruit juice (up 13.6 percent). The most significant downward contributions came from lower prices for chocolate confectionery (down 4.6 percent), tomato sauce (down 9.6 percent) and eggs (down 8.3 percent).

Prices for meat, fish and poultry fell by 0.8 percent in February 2004. The most significant downward contributions came from lower prices for poultry (down 2.7 percent) and smallgoods and prepared meats (down 1.7 percent). The most significant upward contribution came from higher prices for beef mince (up 4.5 percent).

Food prices increased by 0.1 percent from February 2003 to February 2004. Upward contributions came from higher prices for grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery (up 1.1 percent) and restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (up 1.9 percent). Partly offsetting these increases was a fall in meat, fish and poultry prices (down 4.1 percent). Prices for fruit and vegetables were unchanged from a year ago.

Ian Ewing

Acting Government Statistician

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