In the year to August 2015, food prices increased 0.4 percent, Statistics New Zealand said today. This follows an increase of 1.2 percent in the year to July.

“Fruit and vegetable prices increased 3.7 percent over the year, with higher prices for avocados, bananas, potatoes, and lettuce," consumer prices manager Matt Haigh said. Fruit prices increased 9.6 percent in the year to August 2015, while vegetable prices increased 0.5 percent. In August the average price of bananas was $3.02 per kilo, compared with $2.63 per kilo a year ago.

Restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food prices rose 1.9 percent, while non-alcoholic beverage prices rose 0.9 percent. Meat, poultry, and fish prices remained unchanged overall, with increases for beef and pork offset by lower prices for chicken.

Lower prices for grocery food (down 1.8 percent, to their lowest level in five years) were influenced by lower prices for fresh milk, cheese, and butter. Fresh milk prices are now at the lowest level since August 2013. Lower cheese prices (down 8.9 percent) were influenced by more discounting.

Lower grocery prices push food prices down 0.5 percent in August

In the August month, food prices fell 0.5 percent. This follows a 0.6 percent rise in July and a 0.5 percent rise in June.

Grocery food prices fell 1.8 percent, with lower prices for cheese and for snack foods. Meat, poultry, and fish prices also fell 1.8 percent, influenced by lower prices for chicken, processed meat, and beef.

These falls were partly offset by higher prices for fruit and vegetables (up 3.1 percent). Vegetable prices rose 4.6 percent in the month, influenced by higher prices for tomatoes. However, after adjusting for seasonal influences vegetable prices fell 0.4 percent. Fruit prices rose 0.8 percent, and rose 2.9 percent after seasonal adjustment. This was influenced by higher prices for bananas.