KEY POINTS:
Food prices were unchanged in June from a month earlier, helping the annual rate of food price inflation ease to 3 per cent.
Food prices to fall last month included tomatoes down 8.7 per cent, oranges down 16.2 per cent, and chocolate bars and blocks down 3.5 per cent, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) said today.
The most significant rises were avocados up 36.6 per cent, cakes and biscuits up 3 per cent, ready-to-eat food up 0.8 per cent, and yoghurt up 9.9 per cent.
Among subgroups, meat, poultry and fish was down 1.2 per cent for the month, while fruit and vegetables was down 0.8 per cent.
Higher subgroup prices included restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food which was up 0.5 per cent, non-alcoholic beverages up 0.9 per cent, and grocery food up 0.2 per cent.
The 3 per cent annual rise, followed rises of 4.1 per cent and 4.3 per cent for the years to May and April, respectively.
Most significant price rises in the year to June included poultry up 25.6 per cent, ready-to-eat food up 4.7 per cent, and bananas up 38 per cent.
Reductions over the year included lettuce down 49.1 per cent, fresh milk down 10.6 per cent and broccoli down 56 per cent.
Among subgroups, meat, poultry and fish was up 8.1 per cent, restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food was up 3.9 per cent, non-alcoholic beverages was up 5.1 per cent, grocery food rose 0.7 per cent and fruit and vegetables increased 0.1 per cent.
- NZPA
