WELLINGTON, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's food prices rose 1.9 percent in January 2025, following a 0.1 percent increase in December 2024, according to the statistics department Stats NZ on Friday.

This is the largest monthly rise in the cost of food since a 2.1 percent increase in July 2022, Stats NZ said.

About 65 percent of items priced in the food basket were more expensive in January 2025, compared with an average of 54 percent per month in 2024, it said.

"About 20 percent of the basket saw prices rise 5 percent or more in January," Stats NZ prices and deflators spokesperson Nicola Growden said.

The proportion of the food basket that increased by over 5 percent in price was the highest in five years, Growden said.

Higher prices for grocery food contributed the most to the January 2025 increase, driven by higher prices for boxed chocolates, milk, and chocolate blocks, she said.

The monthly increase in food prices was also a result of higher prices for fruit and vegetables, which were up 2.8 percent last month, the statistics show.

"Fruit and vegetable prices typically increase in January months," Growden said, adding alcoholic beverages and tobacco prices increased 2.4 percent in January 2025, due to excise duty tax increase. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)