Food Prices Rise in October

Food Prices Rise in October

Food prices rose 0.3 percent in October 2003, according to latest figures released by Statistics New Zealand. Price increases were recorded for fruit and vegetables; and meat, fish and poultry.

Partly offsetting these increases were lower prices for grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery.

Restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food prices were unchanged.

Fruit and vegetable prices increased by 3.5 percent in October 2003. Upward contributions came from higher prices for fresh vegetables (up 6.7 percent) and fresh fruit (up 2.7 percent).

Significant upward contributions came from higher prices for broccoli and cauliflower, kiwifruit and tomatoes.

Meat, fish and poultry prices increased by 0.9 percent in October 2003. The most significant upward contributions came from higher prices for beef (up 2.7 percent) and poultry (up 2.1 percent).

Overall, restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food prices did not change in October 2003. Prices for ready-to-eat food increased by 0.2 percent, while restaurant meals decreased by 0.1 percent.

Grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery prices decreased by 0.6 percent in October 2003. Lower prices for bread and bread rolls, and coffee were partly offset by higher prices for sauces and pickles, and dehydrated soup.

Food prices fell 0.3 percent from October 2002 to October 2003. Downward contributions came from meat, fish and poultry (down 4.4 percent) and fruit and vegetables (down 2.1 percent). These were partly offset by price increases for grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery (up 1.0 percent) and restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (up 1.6 percent).

Brian Pink

Government Statistician

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