WELLINGTON, Sept 12 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- New Zealand's food prices rose by 0.4 per cent in the 12 months to August 2024, following a 0.6 per cent increase in the 12 months to July 2024, the statistics department Stats NZ said on Thursday, reported Xinhua.
The annual increase in food prices was contributed by higher prices for restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food, and grocery food, which were up by 3.6 per cent and 2.4 per cent, respectively, Stats NZ said.
The rise in prices of restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food was due to higher prices for lunch and brunch, hamburgers, and takeaway coffees.
The price increase in grocery food was due to higher prices for olive oil, chocolate blocks, and butter, it stated, adding that the average price of a 250 gram chocolate block has increased by 20 per cent since the corresponding period in 2023.
Despite an overall increase in food prices, decreasing prices in the fruit and vegetables group had the largest contribution to food prices, down by 12.2 per cent in the 12 months to August 2024, driven by lower prices for kumara (sweet potato), potatoes, and lettuce, said Stats NZ consumer prices manager James Mitchell.
-- BERNAMA-XINHUA
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