Food prices up just a morsel

Food prices rose slightly - 0.4 per cent - in July and are up 2.1 per cent over the July year, Statistics New Zealand said today.

Prices increased in July for meat, fish and poultry; grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery; and restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food.

Prices fell for fruit and vegetables.

Meat, fish and poultry prices increased 2.4 per cent in July, strongly influenced by price increases for beef steak (up 9.5 per cent) and bacon (up 4.6 per cent).

Grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery prices increased 0.3 per cent in July 2005, along with restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food, which were up 0.2 per cent.

Within grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery, the most significant upward contributions came from soft drinks (up 3.4 per cent) and biscuits (up 4.1 per cent). These increases were partly offset by lower prices for chocolates (down 4.3 per cent).

Fruit and vegetable prices were down 2.2 per cent, with lower prices recorded for potatoes (down 14.1 per cent) and bananas (down 7.9 per cent).

Over the July year, increases were recorded for grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery (up 2.1 per cent); meat, fish and poultry (up 4.6 per cent); and restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (up 2.4 per cent).

Prices for fruit and vegetables fell 1.6 per cent.

- NZPA