10 August 2005
Food Price Index: July 2005
Meat Prices Move Food Price Index Up
Food prices increased 0.4 percent in July 2005, Statistics New Zealand said today. Prices increased for meat, fish and
poultry; grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery; and restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food. Prices decreased for
fruit and vegetables.
Meat, fish and poultry prices increased 2.4 percent in July 2005, strongly influenced by price increases for beef steak
(up 9.5 percent) and bacon (up 4.6 percent). Grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery prices increased 0.3 percent in
July 2005, along with restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food, which were up 0.2 percent.
Within grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery, the most significant upward contributions came from soft drinks (up
3.4 percent) and biscuits (up 4.1 percent). These increases were partly offset by lower prices for chocolate
confectionery (down 4.3 percent).
Fruit and vegetable prices were down 2.2 percent, with lower prices recorded for potatoes (down 14.1 percent) and
bananas (down 7.9 percent). From July 2004 to July 2005, food prices increased 2.1 percent. Price increases were
recorded for grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery (up 2.1 percent); meat, fish and poultry (up 4.6 percent); and
restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (up 2.4 percent). Prices for fruit and vegetables decreased 1.6 percent.
Brian Pink
Government Statistician
ENDS