Food Price Index: January 2005

Food Price Index: January 2005 — 10 February 2005 Food Prices Increase

Food prices rose 0.6 percent in January 2005, according to the latest figures from Statistics New Zealand, following decreases of 0.1 percent in both December and November 2004. Higher prices for grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery; meat, fish and poultry; and restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food were partly offset by lower prices for fruit and vegetables.

Prices for grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery rose 1.1 percent in January, driven by higher prices for bread and bread rolls (up 3.6 percent), boxed assorted chocolates (up 10.4 percent) and soft drinks (up 1.6 percent). Lower prices came from potato crisps (down 2.9 percent). Meat, fish and poultry prices rose 0.8 percent in January, mainly due to higher prices for steak (up 4.2 percent) and poultry (up 2.8 percent). Lower prices came from lamb (down 8.3 percent).

Restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food prices rose 0.2 percent in January. Within this subgroup, ready-to-eat food prices increased 0.2 percent, while prices for restaurant meals increased 0.1 percent.

Fruit and vegetables prices fell 1.1 percent in January, with a 4.5 percent decrease in prices for fresh vegetables. Downward contributions came from tomatoes (down 38.2 percent) and potatoes (down 6.1 percent), while upward contributions came from apples (up 20.0 percent), pumpkin (up 38.0 percent) and bananas (up 9.1 percent).

From January 2004 to January 2005, the Food Price Index increased 1.8 percent. Higher prices for grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery (up 1.6 percent); restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (up 2.8 percent); and meat, fish and poultry (up 2.5 percent) were partly offset by lower prices for fruit and vegetables (down 0.8 percent).

Brian Pink

Government Statistician

ENDS

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